DURING MY TIME as a mind and body coach, I can honestly say that the bravest of the brave athletes are the ones who dare to step into the boxing ring. Boxing is a challenging game above all others, and when former British and Commonwealth Heavyweight champion David Price confirmed his retirement from boxing at the age of 38, I thought good luck to you, mate.
Price said: “The hunger was no longer there. That’s massive, which is why your elite fighters like Tyson, like Canelo, like AJ, they have got as much money as they will ever need. But that hunger is still there. That’s because they are fighting for glory. The glory had gone in my career.”
The Liverpool boxer turned professional in 2009 after securing a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Price then went on to make an explosive start to his pro career. But his progress was affected by substantial dramatic losses. Nevertheless, the Liverpudlian’s impressive stoppage against David Allen in July 2019 is why I will never forget him.
Darren Barker introduced me to Dave Allen before his fight with David Price, hoping that my training regime would have the same effect on Dave Allen’s career as it did on his. Darren said that “Allen was within reaching distance of a world title shot. After he beats David Price, I think he’s another big win away from forcing a title shot.”
Before the Allen fight, Price had many boxing rounds behind him. He’d been beaten up, stopped on his feet twice, and knocked out cold twice. Whereas Allen, at 27, was in his prime and believed that he had learned from his mistakes, especially now that he was working with Mick Marsden and Darren Barker.
Allen was not known as a technically skilled fighter; experts said he was sloppy, didn’t cut off the ring, had poor defence and didn’t know how to break down his opponent. But Price was seen as past his prime, not old for a big heavyweight, but not young.
David Allen promised to give David Price a beating following his KO of Australian Lucas Browne, while the 35-year-old Price previously beat Kash Ali by DQ5 after his opponent repeatedly bit him.
Allen said, “This is a fight I’ve wanted for a long time now, three or four years I’ve been after Price. I think he’s there for the beating, he’s on the slide, and I’m the worst kind of opponent he could wish for.”
“I’m going to be on his chest all night; the pressure, the power, the strength, everything, I feel like I’m all wrong for him”.
“We like David Price, we like his team, nothing personal, but I’m getting really close now to the big fights, and I’m going to have to go through him, and I believe I will in devastating fashion”.
“I want to be world heavyweight champion. To do that, I must beat David Price, and for David Price, he must win to keep his career alive full stop, so it’s a massive fight for both of us.”
After only a few training sessions, I knew all I needed to know about Allen, and that was he does things his way and is unwilling to think outside his little box. He was the first and only client I took on that I could not get along with, on either a professional or friendship level. I told him: “I’m not here to be your friend; I’m here to train you.” But he was adamant that I had nothing that he needed and knew what was best for him, and he would do it his way.
I settled on my sofa on fight night, never wanting a boxer to lose as I did Allen. I could not do it myself because he could pummel me in seconds. But on the night, Price was my man, and he did not let me down. He totally outclassed Allen, forcing him to retire on his stool. I felt vindicated because I knew that Allen didn’t have what it takes to be a champion.
Good luck in your retirement David Price, and thank you.
