Price is right for Russian heavyweight Povetkin

Sky Box Office, from 6pm Saturday

When Anthony Joshua won Olympic gold at London 2012 the big British heavyweight hope on the professional scene was David Price, who had gone to the paid ranks after winning bronze at Beijing 2008.

In October 2012 Price knocked out another former Olympic champ Audley Harrison inside one round and all the talk was of an imminent shot at a world title. But a few months later the wheels came off.

Price was stopped in two rounds by veteran Tony Thompson, then lost a rematch in five despite knocking Thompson down early on. A lack of stamina seems to be his Achilles heel, and he has never reached the level he once seemed destined to performing at.

It was a similar story again last year when he lost to Christian Hammer. Price had Hammer on the deck in the fifth, but then the gas tank emptied and Price was a sitting duck. He was stopped in the seventh.

Joshua has said on record that Price floored him in sparring, and he has the power to KO anyone on the planet. With that in mind 10-1 that he stops Alexander Povetkin may seem tempting, but the Russian is a quality operator and it's hard to imagine Price pulling off the upset.

Only Joshua and Deontay Wilder are above Povetkin in Boxrec.com's heavyweight rankings. He isn't a huge puncher but we have seen Price unravel before and it could be a similar story again, so 12-5 that Povetkin win in rounds four to six looks decent value.

Ryan Burnett is a huge favourite to retain his WBA super world bantamweight title against Venezuela's Yonfrez Parejo, but bet365 are taking a risk by quoting 21-20 that he wins on points.

Burnett has won all of his last seven fights via the scorecards and Parejo has been stopped only once in 24 contests.

Josh Kelly takes on former world champion Carlos Molina over ten rounds for the WBA international welterweight title.

Kelly starts as a massive favourite, but it's a big step up in only his sixth fight. Molina has lost his last two but he has never been stopped in his 38-fight career so 5-4 that it goes the distance may be a good bet.

Recommendations
A Povetkin in rounds four to six
1pt 12-5 Paddy Power
R Burnett on points
2pts 21-20 bet365
J Kelly v C Molina to go the distance
1pt 5-4 Betfair, Paddy Power

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on FacebookRacingPostSport