Boxing: Bradley Pryce Las Vegas fight KO’d

Apr 14 2008 by Our Correspondent, South Wales Echo

BRADLEY Pryce will be in Las Vegas next weekend – but only as a spectator.

The Commonwealth light-middleweight champion was due for a non-title outing against veteran American Norberto Bravo on the undercard of stablemate Joe Calzaghe’s showdown with Bernard Hopkins, but that has been scuppered by visa problems.

The US Embassy, apparently worried by a series of drink-related court appearances in Pryce’s youth, refused to grant him entry until they received a blood test to demonstrate that he was free of alcohol.

That proved clear, but, with the offices shut for the weekend, the visa has still not been issued – and the bout has been scrapped.

“I spoke to Enzo (manager Calzaghe) and he said he wasn’t going to risk it if I couldn’t get there before midweek,” says a disappointed Pryce.

“Obviously, I’d have taken the fight, but he’s the boss at the end of the day and he makes the decisions.”

The 27-year-old Newbridge fighter, who missed out on a slot on the recent Gavin Rees-Andreas Kotelnik bill at the CIA because of the Vegas engagement, is unhappy that he is unlikely to see action before June.

“Enzo Maccarinelli is supposed to be coming back then and I suppose I’ll be on that card, though I’d rather box in May,” says Bradley, who now hopes to fly out on Thursday with stablemates Rees, Maccarinelli and Harry Miles. Meanwhile, Clinton Woods is contemplating retirement rather than a Millennium Stadium bonanza against Calzaghe after losing his IBF light-heavy title in Tampa, where he was clearly outpointed by local favourite Antonio Tarver.

With Tarver now likely to face WBC boss Chad Dawson, who outscored veteran Glen Johnson on the same show, it seems Calzaghe, assuming he beats Hopkins, will have to look elsewhere for an opponent in his planned farewell fight.

echo.sport@mediawales.co.uk