TYSON FURY, former world heavyweight champion, has backed former amateur foe David Price to be IBF champion Anthony Joshua’s next opponent.
Joshua was close to signing a fight with former Fury victim Wladimir Klitschko for his December 10 date, though that superfight now looks almost dead and ‘AJ’ must look elsewhere.
Mandatory challenger Joseph Parker will box for the WBO title recently vacated by Fury while Kubrat Pulev also turned the Joshua fight down, prompting Price to throw his name into the mix.
@anthonyfjoshua I’m coming to knock you out December 10 done it before and I’ll do it again
— David Price (@DavidPrice_1) October 20, 2016
Price claims he dropped Joshua in a 2011 sparring session and, having regained his IBF ranking after losses to drug cheats Tony Thompson and Erkan Teper, is gunning for big fights.
Fury, who was outpointed by Price back in 2006 in the unpaid ranks, wants to see the big Liverpudlian get his shot.
@DavidPrice_1@anthonyfjoshua AV it boys best of Briton, to Olympic medalist,
— GYPSYKING, (@Tyson_Fury) October 20, 2016
Currently ranked 12th by the IBF, Price is a valid option for a voluntary title defence. He was set to fight Eric Molina on the Joshua undercard, though now wants a spot in the main event.
An Olympic bronze medallist in 2008, Price feels a fight with the 2012 Olympic champion makes sense this year, which saw Rio host the 2016 Games.
Dave Coldwell, Price’s trainer, told Boxing News his charge is “here and ready” to take the fight. With Parker, Klitschko and Pulev seemingly out of the running, Coldwell insists Price is the best available option.
David Haye is the highest rated contender with the IBF after Parker and Pulev, though intends to box on December 10 also and it is unlikely such a huge fight with Joshua could be turned around in time.
