Profiles

Winning the bronze medal, that’s a fantastic achievement isn’t it? What was it like?

Well, when I got the draw on the first day, I got the world number one. I had to get him out of the way, so the odds were against me getting a medal, any medal, full stop. He was the Russian world number one and hot favourite for the gold and I knocked him out in the second round. Even if that had been the end of the tournament, people would have remembered me for that. I had another tough one for my second fight so I had to win that one as well. All my family got there on the day of the second fight to see me win the bout that would get me the medal. I won the medal but I wanted more and I was disappointed not to go further.

That’s just human nature isn’t it?

Yeah, if you look at things in perspective, if someone had said to me on the day I saw the draw, that I was going to win a bronze, I’d have bitten their hand off. So, i’ve got to be happy with a bronze, and I am, I’m over the moon. It’s everything i’ve trained towards and i’ve got an Olympic medal to show for it.

David Price in action at the Olympics.

What do you do between fights when you’re over there? Do you still train to a degree?

Yeah, you keep ticking over each day, keeping your body and your heart and lungs working, but it’s a bit boring to be honest because I’ve got so long between fights in the Olympics, it’s four fights over fifteen days. It’s too much time to think about things. You have to control the boredom, but it’s all part of the process. You have to go through that to win a medal. It’s not just getting in the ring and fighting that wins you a medal, it the times when you are sitting on your own in the room and you’re nervous and you have to bring that mental toughness.

So are you someone who likes to be surrounded by people?

Sometimes. I’m not superstitious where I do the exact same thing every fight. If I’m in the mood to sit around and have a laugh with my mates before a fight, I will. If I want to be on my own and get focused, I’ll do that. It just depends on what mood I’m in.

You’ve been all over the world fighting haven’t you?

I’ve been everywhere mate, I’ve been to some of the maddest places that you can think of. It’s all a great experience, and none of it would have happened without boxing.

Will you turn pro?

It’s something I have to think about in the next couple of weeks. It’s a decision I have to make.

When you’re back from Beijing, do you think ‘I’ll have a week where I just do whatever I want’?

You’ve got to, I think. I’m going to have a month off boxing now because I’ve been going to Sheffield for twenty months, four days a week. So I’ll come home and go out for a drink with my mates and have a laugh.

How are you with people noticing you when you’re out and about?

I’m ok with it. People want pictures taken or to shake my hand and that’s fine. I’m sure it will die down in the near future because soon people will forget about the Olympics. I don’t mind, they’ve helped support me so I’ve got a lot of time for the public.

It’s a great time for you, I’m sure you’re going to treasure every minute.

My mum and dad and my family, my girlfriend, they’re all want what’s best for me and whatever I decide to do, they’ll support me in it. They’ve always been the same and supported me throughout my career.