By Sean McDaniel: 28-year-old David Price (11-0, 9 KO’s) will be fighting John McDermott (26-7, 17 KO’s) in an important British heavyweight title eliminator bout next month on January 21st at the Olympia, in Liverpool, England.

The winner of that fight faces British champion Tyson Fury sometime in 2012. The 6’8” Price is expected to win without too many problems as long he doesn’t get right on the button by McDermott and knocked out.

A win for Price could get him ranked in the top 15. At 28, Price has got to speed up his career progress a little because he has a late star due to the time he spent in the amateur ranks.

Most top amateur fighters turn pro at an earlier age compared to Price. He’s roughly Audley Harrison’s age when he turned pro. This is why Price can’t afford to stick around the domestic scene for too long fighting for worthless domestic level titles that matter little and don’t bring in the big money that can be found at the world level.

Price will be sporting a five inch height advantage over the 6’3” McDermott, although doesn’t mean he won’t get hit in this fight, because he likely will many times unless he can get Big John out of there early.

Say what you want about McDermott having poor stamina, he’s at least good at pressuring his opponents and getting inside on them to land his power shots. McDermott is going to need to get as good as possible to Price in order to avoid his big power shots from the outside and to connect to his chin.

Price has a good uppercut, so he may still be able to handle McDermott even on the inside, but that’s still McDermott’s best chance in this fight. He can’t stay outside because he’ll run into too many shots hanging around out there.