Big John considers his future in the ring (From Echo)

Big John considers his future in the ring

12:40pm Monday 23rd January 2012 in Other Sport

A DEJECTED John McDermott will consider his future in boxing after a crushing loss to the impressive David Price on Saturday night.

McDermott was knocked down three times in just 73 seconds of the opening round of the British Heavyweight encounter before being counted out.

And the Basildon-born fighter admitted afterwards it may well be the last time he steps into a boxing ring.

“I’m gutted,” said McDermott, who lives in Grays. “I will sit down and think about my future over the next few days.

“I don’t want to be a journeyman fighter. I want to be at the top level of the sport.”

McDermott revealed he stepped into the ring in Liverpool — in front of a partisan crowd full of support for home fighter Price — knowing he had to take the fight to the huge 6ft 8ins Olympic bronze medallist.

Unfortunately, his tactics left him vulnerable and he was caught by a right upper cut from Price from which he never recovered.

“I went in there wanting to have a fight with him,” McDermott said. “Maybe if I had not gone in so tough and so determined to have a fight with him it might have gone a bit better.

“But there’s no point coming to Liverpool and going into the ring half-heartedly.

“I caught him with a few jabs and got him with a right hand. Just as I pushed forward to get him with the left he got me.”

McDermott said he “would have kept getting up 100 times” before the referee stopped it after his third knockdown and believes if he had connected with his left the fight may have had a different outcome.

“Who knows? If I had caught him with that left I was lining up it might have gone the other way round,” McDermott added.

The highly-regarded Price is now being talked about as a potential World Heavyweight champion contender and although McDermott would love another crack at him, he admits it will be unlikely as their careers looks set to move in opposite directions.

“Obviously he is a good fighter,” said McDermott who is trained by former world lightweight champion Jason Rowland at Belhus Park Boxing Club in South Ockendon.

“I wish him all the luck in the world. I would like to fight him again but I don’t think that will happen.

“It’s a shame. I’m gutted because I trained so hard for the fight.”