End of the world for Price after Thompson inflicts second defeat in five months

By Jeff Powell   -  dailymail.co.uk

David Price was pummeled to a standstill by his American nemesis on Saturday night and his world heavyweight dream may well have died on his feet with him.

The Liverpool giant's insistence on going straight back in with Tony Thompson, who had flattened him in February, proved to be foolhardy more than it was courageous.

Winning again: Tony Thompson celebrates his victory over David Price

Paying the Price: David Price suffered another shock defeat by Tony Thompson in Liverpool

Price was still on his feet when the referee called an end to the beating he was receiving in the fifth round, but his hands were hanging by his sides and his head dropping on his chest.

With David Haye and Tyson Fury expected to meet each other in a high-profile domestic battle in September, which is likely to take the winner to within one fight of a world title challenge to a Klitschko, Price is not only in crisis but out of the picture.

Frank Maloney was almost in tears, in the realisation of leading Price along the same road to glory as Lennox Lewis appears to be at an end.

In the eye of the Tiger: David Price (left) catches Tony Thompson with a right

And it was all going so well: Price knocks down Thompson

It is difficult to see where Price goes from here and, tellingly, Maloney said: 'If Price doesn't want to go on that will probably be it for me, too.'

In contrast, the veteran Thompson canvased for a British promoter of his own to come forward so he might challenge the winner of Fury and Haye.

Although he floored Thompson once and would have done it again had the American not fallen back against the ropes, he looked weirdly fatigued as early as the third round.

Ire of the Tiger: Thompson is floored... but he would soon get up to claim victory

Perhaps, having admitted that this was a do-or-die night for him, he had burned up too much nervous energy.

Not even the presence of his illustrious mentor, fellow Englishman Lewis, who is still the last undisputed world heavyweight champion, could save Price.

Tiger feat: Price is caught by Thompson in the fifth round

Not going to plan: Price is caught by Thompson on his way to a second defeat to the American

That's it: The referee steps in to stop the fight as Thompson got the better of Price

He looked in trouble at the end of the fourth, a round at the end of which he was grateful to hear the bell.

But Thompson sensed the fatigue in the opposite corner and launched an attack at the start of the fifth to which the reeling Price had no answer.

Support: Lennox Lewis could not do anything from ringside to help his man win 

Despair: Price and promoter Frank Maloney look dejected after the loss 

Where now? Price walks from the ring dejected after his defeat to Thompson

A minute and five seconds of a beating remaining in that round and the referee had no option but to intervene. The disappointment was all the more savage because Price turned 30 this very night.

No happy birthday for him.

Source:  www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/boxing/article-2357613/Tony-Thompson-beats-David-Price-heavyweight-clash.html