David Price has stepped in to replace the recovering Joseph Parker to fight Dereck Chisora on the Regis Prograis-Josh Taylor bill at The O2 this Saturday.
New Zealander Parker, the former WBO champion, was forced to pull out of the bout at the start of the month in unusual circumstances – he was bitten by a poisonous spider! Chisora has sparred with Price before so they aren’t strangers and the Zimbabwean-born heavyweight knows he will not be able to take anything for granted against the Liverpudlian if he want to take a recent revival a stage further.
Dereck Chisora v David Price – Tale Of The Tape
| Country |  United Kingdom |
United Kingdom |
| Age | 35 | 36 |
| Height | 6′ 1½″ (187 cm) | 6′ 8″ (203 cm) |
| Reach | 74″ (188 cm) | 82″ (208 cm) |
| Division | heavyweight | heavyweight |
| Stance | orthodox | orthodox |
| Titles | – | – |
| Record | 31 – 9 – 0 (22 KOs) |
25 – 6 – 0 (20 KOs) |
| KO% | 70% | 80% |
Chisora’s last five fights have been at the 02. He won four of those but his one defeat came in the most important when taking on Dillian Whyte for the second time. Whyte had earned a controversial split decision when the two met at the end of 2016 and the second time stopped Chisora in the penultimate round.
Chisora, now managed by David Haye, recovered to beat Germany’s Senad Gashi on points but was far from convincing. However, the 35-year-old looked more like his old self in taking less than two rounds to stop Poland’s Artur Szpilka, once a challenger for the WBC title.
Only a best 1/4 to win this bout, ‘War’ is renowned for being as tough as they come and has been in the ring with the world’s best heavyweights. Tyson Fury was the first one to beat him, in 2011, and he’s since lost to the likes of Vitali Klitschko, David Haye and Fury again. But there have also been losses to less-exalted heavyweights, including in European title clashes against Kubrat Pulev and Agit Kabayel. Realistically, Chisora’s career is now as much about pride and looking after his retirement now rather than ambition, though the same accusations could be levelled at Price.
‘Pricey’ (16/5 with William Hill) believes he can take the former WBA International champion, despite the short notice and the even shorter training camp.
He has had everything needed to make a top-class heavyweight, including a very long reach and a stiff jab. But it’s never quite happened and now probably never will. Undoubtedly, he’s a threat to Chisora, especially if the latter gets careless, but the outright favourite should be able to handle most things likely to come his way. Price did once knock out Audley Harrison in the first round and has fought against Alexander Povetkin but can be stopped and his opponent is experience enough to take advantage of the gaps in the late substitute’s defence when they appear.
