WealthTV has secured the live United States television rights for the United Kingdom heavyweight showdown between a pair of former Olympians, rising star David Price and battle-tested veteran Audley Harrison, on October 13 (starting at 3 p.m. ET) from Echo Arena in Liverpool, England.
Price vs. Harrison continues WealthTV’s commitment to become a major player in live telecasting of world-class boxing, as well as the network’s focus on the heavyweight division. In July, WealthTV showcased world heavyweight contender Tyson Fury’s (19-0, 14 KOs) fifth-round technical knockout of veteran Vinny Maddalone. The Price-Harrison announcement comes on the heels of WealthTV’s entertaining “Ironbound Throwdown,” a Main Events card featuring top heavyweights Tomasz “Goral” Adamek against Travis “Freight Train” Walker that aired September 8.
“We anticipate upwards of 30 to 40 fights on WealthTV through 2013,” WealthTV President Charles Herring commented. “We’re pleased with our programming, thus far, but we’re actively looking for more opportunities to feature top-quality, world-class fights and fighters on our growing network.”
The 6′ 8″ undefeated Price (13-0, 11 KOs), a 2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist, defends his BBBofC British heavyweight title for the first time against southpaw Harrison (28-5, 21 KOs), who captured a Gold Medal in the super heavyweight division at the 2000 Olympic Games.
The 29-year-old Price, already rated No. 21 by the World Boxing Council (WBC), captured the BBBof C heavyweight title last May, stopping former Commonwealth (British) champion Sam Sexton in the fourth round. Price is on the fast track in the heavyweight division, while Harrison’s career is at the crossroads.
Harrison emerged from the 2000 Olympics with great expectations that were never attained. The highlight of his professional career was a 12th round knockout of Michael Sprott in 2010 for the European heavyweight championship. In his next fight, however, Harrison was knocked out in the third round by then World Boxing Association (WBA) kingpin David Haye, whose chief sparring partner, ironically, has been Price.
Other British title fights will air as part of the Price-Harrison card. “This fight continues our heavyweight trend on WealthTV,” WealthTV Director of Live Events Thomas Morris noted. “The heavyweight division has traditionally driven boxing and boxing fans, particularly Americans, who love watching the big guys bang.”
WealthTV also recently announced that it has exclusive U.S. rights to broadcast the popular GYM “Fast & Furious” series in Canada, and Hennessy Sports’ “Next Generation” series from the United Kingdom.
The first installment of the new season of the “Fast & Furious” series is scheduled for the night before the Price-Harrison fight – Friday, Oct. 12 – live from the famed Bell Centre in Montreal, headlined by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super middleweight title eliminator between dangerous Quebec favorite Adonis “Superman” Stevenson (18-1-0, 15 KOs) and American power-puncher Donovan “Da Bomb” George (23-2-1, 20 KOs). The winner between these two powerful hitters will automatically become the mandatory challenger to IBF champion Carl Froch.
