David Price completed the latest successful defence of his British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles with an impressive second-round knockout of the experienced Matt Skelton.
Bedford heavyweight Skelton, challenging the champion in his home city at Aintree in Liverpool appeared not to be intimidated by the physically imposing, powerful Price – unlike previous opponent Audley Harrison – and asked questions of him by closing the ring down and landing in a way on Price that few others have.
It was the challenge promoter Frank Maloney wished for – one from which Price could learn and that would present him with a different type of fight from that to which he is accustomed to – but if the champion briefly appeared uncomfortable, he soon regained control of the centre of the ring and despite several further exchanges, would have been given the round on most judge’s cards.
The second followed in similar fashion, though Price this time boxed with even greater authority. Skelton again proved capable of dragging the fight inside by closing the distance and leaning on the Liverpudlian, but the champion learned to adjust and reacted by letting his hands go with greater frequency and in a way that served as a warning to the challenger, who for all his bravado – he reacted by raising his hands when Price landed with a particularly powerful right-left combination – was now feeling the force of his opponent.
The end was to soon follow, with two minutes and 56 seconds of the round gone, when six powerful body shots forced Skelton, who was against the ropes, to take a knee, and his trainer Kevin Sanders reacted by throwing the towel in.
Referee Richie Davies gave Skelton the chance to rise but he could not, giving Price a fourth win for four in 2012 and leaving him one more defence away from winning the Lonsdale belt outright.
“Matt put it on me straight away and we were not expecting that,” said Price after the fight, when Maloney revealed that he is to fight America’s Tony Thompson in 2013 before facing Dereck Chisora in what may be the final defence of his British title. “It took me by surprise even though we know what he is about. It was a bit scrappy at times but that is what happens when you fight Matt Skelton. Nobody has done that to him. It means something that I managed to take him out in two rounds. Nobody has done a number on him like that. He did make things a bit awkward for me at times. To be honest it has been difficult to get fights for me.
“After Audley Harrison I got straight back in the gym. It was only this week that I started getting excited about the fight. So I had to do a professional job. The body shots are something that we have been working on for some time. I just don’t get many opportunities to throw them. Usually I land the big shots to the head and guys have been going.”
Earlier on the card, Tony Dodson comfortably outpointed John Anthony over six rounds and rarely appeared out of control.