Matching Price against Harrison could be a costly mistake by Maloney

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes when receiving a press release from promoter Frank Maloney yesterday proposing a meeting between his unbeaten heavyweight prospect David Price and the disgraced Audley Harrison.

“Price is the best heavyweight in the world and the L-plates are off for him from now. I am willing to make Audley an offer to fight him and when David beats him we will be rid of Harrison for good. It would also be the first time two of Britain’s Olympic medallists have ever clashed professionally (Price won bronze in Beijing),” said Maloney.

In the unlikely event of this fight happening, there seems little to be gained for the 27-year-old Price who has gone about his work quietly in compiling an 8-0 (6) slate since turning pro in March 2009, nor indeed for Harrison who is currently contemplating his future. Following Saturday’s debacle, one imagines that the British public has well and truly washed their hands of Harrison following his woefully negative third-round loss to David Haye for the WBA title.

Now finally exposed as being well short of ever being considered “world class”, victory for Price over the former Olympic gold medallist would count for very little. Price, who would appear to lack the destructive punch power of David Haye, more likely risks damaging his reputation and triggering a furious public backlash if he failed to get rid of Harrison early which could see him castigated as another delusional former amateur with little hope of succeeding as a professional.

“The Haye-Harrison fight has left a sour taste, but David is going to get the nation back in love with boxing. There will be no moaning about the level of opposition he (Price) faces next year. David is 6ft 8in tall and can become Britain’s answer to the Klitschko brothers,” predicts Maloney.

“He is getting better and better and will benefit from top class sparring I am organising in America. I am also looking at finding three decent American opponents for David and then putting him in a world title eliminator.”

I’d much rather see Price prove himself in exciting domestic duels against the likes of Larry Olubamiwo, Tom Dallas, Tyson Fury or Sam Sexton – fights which would do more for the Liverpool man’s reputation and his long term development than the fallen Harrison ever could.