Boxer David summons family regardless of the price

BOXER David Price summoned his family to Beijing on Wednesday night after putting on an opening-night show to make the world sit up and take notice.

Liverpool's super-heavyweight hope destroyed Islam Timurziev, the favourite in his Olympic +91kg class, knocking him down twice and earning a stoppage 31 seconds into the second round.

And having been good value for his last-16 victory, the 25-year-old told the Prices to get on a plane to China.

Price is now one quarter-final win away from a medal and doesn‘t want anyone to miss it - himself included.

"I'm going to savour this," he said. "I'm going to watch it all night on video.

"My family have got something to come out for now. They probably weren't coming until I'd won that. They're going to arrive Monday morning and I'll fight Monday night. I'm delighted for them.

"That was going to be my hardest fight on paper but one more win and I've got a medal."

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Price admitted he had surprised even himself in landing two big right hooks on his much-vaunted opponent that did the decisive damage.

"I can't believe the way it happened," Price said. "I was maybe a bit cautious in the first round because I wanted to feel what he was all about. He caught me with a big right hand over the top but I knew then I could take his power.

"In the second round I wanted to go out and force the issue a bit more. My knuckle crunched on his chin - I could feel it bone on bone. 

"If the ref hadn't stopped it there, I was going to do him anyway. One more punch and he was gone. No one does that to him. He's never been put down, not like that."

Price hopes his success can inspire his Team GB colleagues to similar deeds after bantamweight Joe Murray lost his last-32 bout against Gu Wu on points.

And he knows exactly how to motivate himself for Monday‘s meeting with Lithuanian Jaroslav Jaksto.

"I owe him one from when I was a kid," Price said. "He beat me and I was a bit mentally weak. I probably turned the corner after that happened to me.

"And he cut my eye in sparring in Poland before the World Championships in 2005. So I've got my reasons to go out and get him.

"I was gutted for little Joe, but he'll be made up for me as will all the lads. Now that I've just done that all the lads will be buzzing. If you're going to meet a good Russian, that can show you the way.  They're not unbeatable.

"It's a good feeling to beat the world number one and I'm made up."

TOM BELL in Beijing