David Price-Jakov Gospic Set For May 29 At Goodison Park

By Elliot Foster

David Price has had his comeback opponent confirmed.

The Liverpool heavyweight returns fights in his home city for the first time in nearly three years next weekend and his foe has now been tied down.

Price (19-3, 16 KOs), 32, is set to come up against Jakov Gospic, exclusively live on Sky Sports, on May 29 at Goodison Park, as part of the undercard to Tony Bellew’s clash with Ilunga Makabu for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title.

Gospic (17-14, 12 KOs) was originally slated to face former world champion Shannon Briggs at London’s O2 Arena on Saturday over 10 rounds, but it has now been revealed that the 33-year-old has accepted a fight with Price over the eight-round distance.

Opponents have also been revealed for the two Smith brothers –– Paul and Callum –– who are in tick-over fights over six and eight rounds respectively.

Super-middleweight Paul (36-6, 21 KOs), who is a former two-time world title challenger and returned to the ring with a third round stoppage on May 7, will come up against Hungary’s Zsolt Dudas (15-2, 8 KOs) and the man in the opposite corner to the WBC world title mandatory challenger in the same weight, Callum (19-0, 14 KOs), will be Cesar Hernan Reynoso (14-7-3, 7 KOs) of Argentina.

Sean ‘Masher’ Dodd (10-2-1, 2 KOs) faces Pasquale di Silvio (20-7-1, 6 KOs) for the vacant WBC International lightweight title, while Stephen Smith (23-2, 13 KOs) returns from his failed world title challenge last month in a clash for the vacant WBC Silver super-featherweight title against well-known Argentine Daniel Brizuela (28-5-2, 8 KOs).

Elsewhere, Tom Farrell (8-0, 2 KOs) and Kofi Yates (13-1, 1 KO) clash in an eliminator for the English super-lightweight title and there’s a host of local talents in action on the bill.

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Scott Fitzgerald (2-0, 2 KOs) will fight over four rounds against Gabor Balogh of Hungary, who has a record of 0-2, while James Metcalf (11-0, 5 KOs) is pitted against fellow undefeated man Tom Knight (5-0-1, 1 KO) over six.

Skelmersdale lightweight Steve Brogan (7-0, 1 KO) is slated to face Dean Evans (5-11-1, 4 KOs) over six and Ged Carroll (1-0) takes on veteran journeyman Kristian Laight (11-224-7) over four.

Opponents are still awaited for Chester super-bantamweight Paul Economides (18-5, 4 KOs) and debutant Craig Glover, who will campaign at cruiserweight.