David Price eyes the big time after Erkan Teper bout

“It’s a big fight and whereas before I might have blown it out of all proportion in my head, now I’m just concentrating on what I need to do”, said the Scouser. “I had butterflies, which explains why I gassed out so quickly”.

“If it was a fight for a title and my back was against the wall, where I was desperate to fight with no other option, I may have had to have bitten the bullet and gone in under prepared without any sparring”.

“From what I’ve seen he’s going to try and come out and start fast”.

“It’s still a fight I would like but I don’t think it will happen at the end of this year because of his plans”. The 6ft 8in Liverpudlian takes on Erkan Teper in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart and victory could put him within touching distance of a world title.

His losses to American Thompson in 2013 were a major setback for Price, who was being tipped as one of the potential heirs to the Klitschko brothers’ throne, but he insists he is over those defeats as he now looks to step back into the limelight. “To be European champion in itself is big, but there are also the doors that possibly could open if I win this title, so it’s a big fight, no doubt about it”.

“It’s a big opportunity”, he said.

“It’s a big fight for me personally because it’s a prestigious title but for the general public it might go under the radar because it’s in Germany and it hasn’t had the same sort of fanfare that a fight at the ECHO Arena would have had – it’s a different promoter that does most of its promoting in Germany”.

“The big right hand over the top seems to be his forte”, he said.

“I’m not particularly anxious about his power because it’s the same with any other heavyweight if you get hit on the chin you’re likely going to end up feeling it”.

“Technically, he’s not the quickest with his feet and it’s the ideal fight for me style wise”. Visit boxnation.com to subscribe.