David Price vows to continue career despite knockout defeat to Alexander Povetkin
Friday 13 April 2018 12:16, UK
David Price has promised to continue his career, despite suffering a knockout defeat to Alexander Povetkin in Cardiff.
The British heavyweight raised hopes of a stunning upset when he staggered Povetkin at the end of the third round, but the Russian staged a fight-ending assault in the fifth that left Price requiring 40 stitches in his nose and mouth.
This latest setback has not discouraged Price, who remains passionate about the sport, and the 34-year-old will instead target a European title after testing himself against a former world champion.
"I'm excited to get back in there. I can't wait. Normally I have some time away from boxing after a fight but I want to get straight back into it this time. I've fallen back in love with it.
"I really want to say a huge 'thanks' to the support I've received before, during and after the fight. It has completely renewed my faith in boxing as a sport.
I really want to say a huge 'thanks' to the support I've received before, during and after the fight. It has completely renewed my faith in boxing as a sport.
"Although I lost and got knocked out, I proved I can compete with elite fighters. Before the fight, I said I would carry on regardless and after it, I take the positives and will now go for the European title."
Price was frustrated that he could not produce a knockout blow of his own in the third, but has quickly shrugged off this latest setback in his career.
"That hook landed so cleanly. If the referee hadn't have given him a count I could have followed up my attack before the end of the round. They were small margins.
"The knockout won't have been nice for people to watch in the heat of the moment but I didn't mind watching it straight afterwards when I went backstage. For a long time, I couldn't watch Erkan Teper knocking me out but you grow as a person.
"If a fighter quits just because they get knocked out, are they really a fighter? Getting knocked out is part of boxing and you have to accept that."
