A reconstituted ABA board, comprising boxing people and businessmen, with Liverpool's Paul King as chief executive, and continuing liaison with the pro body, has enabled Sport England to release a £3 million grant which had been dependent on such modernisation.International medals are now accruing fast for England's young guns, and in the Cadet World Championships (for under-17s) last week two, Khalid Saeed and Anthony Agogo, won gold, Michael Hadfield silver and Obed Mkwakongo bronze. "The good thing is that some of the group who should be part of a major assault on the London Games are in place already."Price is one of them - if he can wait that long. "We're excited about the future, especially the incentive of 2012," says the national performance director, Terry Edwards. The inevitable defection of Amir Khan was a blow to the amateurs but, paradoxically, the publicity his Olympic exploits brought to the sport has give it fresh impetus. It was the hardest bout I've ever had, and he went on to win the Olympic bronze. But if I meet him in the Worlds he'll find I'm more ringwise and mature."A qualified central-heating engineer, Price is a full-time fighter, a scholarship enabling him to work developing the sport with Liverpool City Council.
I was one bout away from Athens but lost to an Italian in the European quarter-finals. "Ideally I'd like to go to the Olympics in Beijing, but there's never any guarantee you'll qualify. I never criticise players, but too many of our big-name players are not performing."The Birmingham manager was even more furious, though, about the performance of Barry Knight - specifically, the referee's decision to award Blackburn their penalty, punishing Matthew Upson for holding on to Dickov. Getting your hand raised when you win is the best feeling in the world.
A useful footballer, he had trials for Liverpool Schoolboys, but going to a boxing gym with his mates resulted in him putting on the gloves and winning the Junior ABAs in his ninth bout. He won his first ABA senior title at his second attempt and has hardly looked back, though much of his time is spent looking down - at opponents. Hopes are high, though no British boxer has ever won world gold, just one silver and a bronze.Price, who has succeeded Audley Harrison as the big man of amateur boxing, is ranked three in Europe, and has won Multi-Nations gold He is also in form. "I'm bigger, stronger and mentally tougher than I've ever been," he says "I don't fear anyone."In his case, size does matter.
