Chatham heavyweight Tom Dallas to face David Price in British title eliminator at Liverpool's Olympia
Published: 08:11, 08 June 2011
Dallas in action at Medway Park in May Picture: Peter Still
Tom Dallas has stepped in at late notice to challenge stablemate David Price in a British title elminator in Liverpool on Saturday night.
Both men are unbeaten and Dallas has been given just four days notice after John McDermott pulled out of the fight.
Frank Maloney promotes both heavyweights and believes the bout will be one to saviour.
He said: "Tom deserves all the credit in the world for stepping in and David gets praise for taking it having prepared for weeks to face John,
"It is matches like this that will get British boxing back in the national newspapers. If their sparring sessions I have witnessed are anything to go by, fans and TV viewers will see plenty of action on Saturday night."
Dallas was last in action during a low-key encounter against American’s Zack Page at Medway Park in May.
He won on points, to increase his record to 15 wins from 15, but was unconvincing.
Price and Dallas have only met once before, in the amateurs, with the Chatham man losing the 2006 ABA final.
Both have been kept apart by Maloney but McDermott’s withdrawal left Maloney with few options.
"Someone will lose their unbeaten record but it won’t mean the end of their career," said Maloney, who believes he has the two best up-and-coming heavyweights in the country under his FTM banner. "David and Tom are true professionals."
The winner of Saturday's fight must meet McDermott by the end of October, with the victor then paired with current British champion Dereck Chisora.
Can Tom Dallas beat home favourite David Price? Comment below.
More by this author
Luke Cawdell