• Wladimir Klitschko v Mariusz Wach, heavyweight

Maloney: Price and Fury would beat Klitschko

Frank Maloney, the promoter of David Price, insists both Price and Tyson Fury could beat Wladimir Klitschko after the Ukrainian's untidy victory over Mariusz Wach on Saturday.

Klitschko defended his WBA, IBF, WBO & Ring Magazine titles with a one-sided decision victory over Wach in Hamburg, but the win will hardly have struck fear into future rivals.

Fighting a man who clearly was not in the same league as the champion, Klitschko put together a series of sloppy combinations, failing to finish Wach despite the giant Pole taking the role of punch bag for several rounds.

Klitschko also encountered a moment of real danger in the fifth, when Wach rocked him with a big right hand, and Maloney could not help imagining what Price would do to the latest version of the champion. Price faces Matt Skelton in his next bout, but Maloney predicts he will only need one further fight before taking on either Wladimir or Vitali.

"I think on what we have watched tonight, both of them (David Price and Tyson Fury) stand a chance of beating a Klitschko," Maloney said on ESPN. They have the ambition and want to win a world title. They will not have the mentality of 'I've got a world title fight'.

"After two fights he (Price) would be ready. When Pricey hits someone he wants to finish them, that's what good heavyweights do.

"I believe David Price can beat any heavyweight. I am not saying these guys (the Klitschkos) are bad fighters. They are robots and you can only fight what's in front of you. But they are hand-picking opponents, they are not mandatory challengers.

"We want to be in the mandatory position. We do not want to have one of those contracts put in front of us that say, 'If you beat so-and-so you have got to beat my brother again.' It is ridiculous."

Klitschko has plenty of British options heading his way in the coming year, with Price, Fury and David Haye all in the reckoning for a future title shot. However, his immediate focus post-fight was to pay tribute to trainer Emanuel Steward, who recently died.

"I want to remember one man, who can't be here today unfortunately. We miss you, we love you, you are always here in the ring, thank-you Emanuel," Klitschko said.

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