DAVID PRICE is “100 percent” targeting world champion Anthony Joshua after being restored to the IBF ratings.
“We’re from the same background so it would make a nice match, it would gel well, I know it would,” he told Boxing News. “I bring the threat of punch power. I’ve improved as a boxer. My jab exists now, where in the past it didn’t exist because of an elbow injury… I’ve had that sorted, now I can snap the jab out and hurt people with the jab. But look, let’s get real first. I need to get busy, prove I’m worthy to fight for a world title, a couple of fights, a couple of wins and if the opportunity’s there, I’ll jump at it. A lot of people would write me off but I think people who know boxing wouldn’t.”
After Joshua’s successful IBF title defence on Saturday against Dominic Breazeale, Price commented, “I think it was apparent tonight that Joshua still can take his time but because he’s world champion he’s in a position where he’s going to be forced into fights. If he’s got a voluntary, I think the natural progression, the natural step up for him after the American, Breazeale, would be me. Although I’ve had three defeats, I present something different to Anthony Joshua. Breazeale didn’t have a jab, he had no movement, he was slow to react to punches, although he was tough and stood up for seven rounds and took some fantastic shots so I take my hat off to him.
“People want to see Anthony Joshua in fights where there’s potential of losing, getting knocked out. I know a lot of people are big fans of him and all that but people don’t want to see one-sided [bouts]. It’s like hitting a punchbag. With someone like me in front of him, I’d be looking to take him out.”
Comparing himself to Breazeale, David said, “I’ve got faster hands than his opponent tonight, I’ve got better movement, more experienced, better pedigree, I tick all the boxes and with my story, which I will keep banging on about, the fact that two out of my three defeats have been to people who failed drug tests. It’s a story that sells naturally to the general public. What a story it would be if I was to go from rock bottom this time last year to at some point, I’m the heavyweight champion of the world. It’s an opportunity that everybody wants, to fight for the title.”
They are both Olympic medallists, Price won a bronze in 2008 and Joshua was the super-heavyweight champion at London 2012. “Anthony Joshua he’s similar to me, he always respects his opponents, he’d view for me as a threat like he viewed Breazeale as a threat,” David noted. “The reality is I know I would really be a threat.”
