Tyson makes Price Offer

Hennessy Sports1st January, 2009

Tyson Fury has offered David Price a chance to settle their differences in a professional ring. Undefeated heavyweight sensation Fury is set for his fifth pro fight at London's York Hall on April 11th and he wants Price to be in the opposite corner.

Fury has already racked up four stoppage wins from his first four outings having only turned professional last December.

The Hennessy Sports promoted fighter will be looking to make it five next month on ITV4 on the undercard to the Craig Watson - John O'Donnell Commonwealth title fight.

Price who made a winning pro debut last weekend has already said that he wants to battle it out with Fury for the British heavyweight title. The Liverpudlian has also accused his former amateur rival of being "disrespectful" but Fury believes that if the fight is to happen it needs to happen now.

"If we are going to fight then we may as well fight now because based on his pro debut there's no guarantee David Price will make it to British title level. I'd love for the fight to happen when there are titles at stake because I think it would be a massive fight but my worry is that with his chin Price won't make it that far."

Tyson is relishing his first professional appearance at the York Hall next month having won his ABA Super Heavyweight title there. "I love the atmosphere at the York Hall because the fans there really love their boxing. It's a great venue and somewhere I've always wanted to fight as a pro."

However Fury isn't so sure that Price shares the same ambition. "He says he'll do his talking in the ring well here's his big chance, he can step up and fight me on April 11th. I'm still waiting on an opponent so the jobs there for him if he wants it. He says he wants to stay busy and he's just coming off a win so here's his chance."

Fury says he wasn't impressed with Price's debut win at the weekend and remains convinced that a fragile chin will prove to be the Beijing bronze medallist's downfall. "He got hit with one clean shot in the whole fight and it had him all over the place. Imagine if that had been me hitting him?"

Price's debut crisis came after he dropped his hands and turned away following the referee's call to break but his concentration lapse almost cost him dearly with opponent Dave Ingleby tagging him with a clean right hand.

"That proved to me that's he's still an amateur and he was waiting for the ref to step in and protect him," said Fury. "The one piece of advice that pro referee's give is to 'protect yourself at all times'. I've heard he's blaming it on his gum shield falling out. He said it was too small and yet he says I'm the one with the big mouth! I hope he doesn't use his gum shield as an excuse for not fighting me next month."

Fury's fifth pro outing is part of an exciting undercard to the Craig Watson - John O'Donnell Commonwealth Welterweight title fight. The chief supporting contest features Lenny Daws and Peter McDonagh in a clash for the English Light Welterweight title while Bradley Evans, Steve O'Meara, George Hillyard and Stephen Haughian also feature. Tickets are available from the Ticketline box office on 0844 888 4402 or via www.ticketline.co.uk

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