Despite clich?s to the contrary, size doesn?t always matter, especially if it?s not backed up by skill and stamina?
Saturday night at the Olympia in Kensington, London, United Kingdom, David Price (21-4, 18 KOs), the perennial contender from Liverpool, Merseyside, UK, was knocked out by WBO European heavyweight champion Christian Hammer (21-4, 12 KOs), from Hamburg, Germany, by way of Galati, Romania, at 1:22 of the seventh round of a scheduled 12.
Whatever dreams of championship glory Price might have entertained going into the fight have all but evaporated after the loss.
Fighting out of the blue corner in red trunks trimmed in gold, Price, at 6-feet-8 inches and 275 pounds, is an impressive specimen. But at the age of 33 and having now lost two of his last four fights and four of his last 10, all by stoppage, it looks like his career is nearing an end.
Hammer, fighting out of the red corner in blue trunks with red trim, has lost only once in six years, to Tyson Fury six years ago. He?s no world beater, however, and at only 6-feet-2-inches is a small heavyweight by today?s standards.
But size, despite clich?s to the contrary, doesn?t always matter, especially if it?s not backed up by skill and stamina.
After four fairly inconsequential rounds, where Price used his long jab to keep Hammer at bay, Price began to run out of gas in the fifth and was holding on. Hammer had worked his way inside and was nailing Price, when the Liverpudlian landed a four-punch combination followed by a right uppercut that dropped Hammer to the seat of his trunks with 12 seconds left in the round.
Hammer made it to his feet at the count of eight and was saved by the bell from further punishment.
Between rounds Price?s cornerman said, ?Sting him now. Sting him. Hit him with a right hand. See what he?s got. Then go to the body. It?s your fight to lose. Understand that.?
Both men went for broke in the sixth. Price landed a right uppercut that hurt Hammer and drove him to the ropes. Hammer countered with a right hand followed by a left hook that rocked the challenger. With his hands at his waist, Price kept pressing forward, but got caught by a three-punch salvo that hurt him again. With both fighters exhausted and Price?s legs all but gone, Hammer was hammering him when the bell rand to end round six.
A short right uppercut 30 seconds into the seventh drove Price to the corner. Hammer landed two right hands. Price, who kept bending over at the waist, was too tired to even clinch. Hammer landed more punches, followed by more punches on the defenseless David Price. With Price reeling and not firing back, the referee Phil Edwards waved it off.
