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Price rumbles towards title shot with second round KO

David Price stopped Tom Dallas in the second round © Getty Images

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Heavyweight David Price extended his unbeaten record as a professional and underlined his potential with a second round knockout of Tom Dallas in their British title eliminator.

Price wasted little time in getting the measure of his good friend, and finished the bout early when he connected flush with a overhand right that sent his opponent sprawling.

Dallas, who only took the fight at five days' notice after the withdrawal of John McDermott through injury, saw the end of his perfect record in front of a partisan crowd at Liverpool's Olympia.

Price, meanwhile, has now won 11 fights without defeat as he heads for a shot at the British title.

"I think first and foremost (I want to say) how much I appreciated Tom Dallas stepping in at late notice; it took real guts to do so," Price said after his win. "But I still didn't expect to win in such spectacular fashion against such a tough man, so I think I did make a statement.

"I was just trying to stay switched on mentally, rather than throwing a hundred punches a round, and then see what he was going to bring to the table.

"I could see the opening as the fight was going on. It's a good powerful punch - it always has been since towards the end of my amateur career. I think it could take many heayweights out if I land it right."

Elsewhere on the undercard, Chris Edwards won the British flyweight title after a split decision victory over Paul Edwards.

The more experienced fighter look to have the measure of his opponent for much of the fight, but could not force the knockout as the bout eventually went to the judges' scorecards. Two saw it 115-113 in Chris' favour, with the other seeing it 115-114 to Paul.

"I'm over the moon. I knew it was going to be a tough fight. Paul's a good lad and I've got a lot of respect for him," said the new British champion. "I'd been training really well, though, and I knew my experience was going to come into it at the later rounds."

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