Big fight beckons for Danny Quartermaine

Quartermaine…may face unbeaten Alfie Price

WHITE-HOT Warwickshire prospect Danny Quartermaine is within touching distance of the biggest fight of his career, a potential blockbuster.

I understand talks are taking place to match the phenomenal Leamington ticket-seller with fellow unbeaten hope Alfie Price, with Coventry’s Sports Connexion on October 16 the venue and date provisionally put forward.

The fight is close, very close.

Importantly, both parties are up for the battle, I’ve been told. Whether the 10 rounder is an English title eliminator at junior-lightweight (super-feather in today’s terminology) or a final eliminator is one of a number of issues that need to be ironed out.

Frankly, it should be a final eliminator.

Both camps wanting the mouth-watering clash is no guarantee it will happen.

But if it does, we have one hell of an event between two top men climbing to the top.

Quartermaine, aged 26, has looked something special in notching-up nine straight wins. He has an aggressive, swashbuckling style.

Southpaw Price, aged 29, is unbeaten in eight and, unlike Danny, has travelled the 10 round championship route: he widely outpointed Jeff Ofori for the Southern Area lightweight belt in 2019.

Trained by Shane McGuigan, he’s tall and slippery, but his progress has been stop-start. If the October contest happens, it will be Price’s first fight in close to a year. There was also a three year break after the Ofori victory.

Add to the mix the fact Price has never made junior-light before and you have a real 50/50 contest. It’s a battle where home turf may be telling. Price will be hit by a wall of sound generated by Danny’s Barmy Army band of supporters.

Former pro Edwin Cleary, who has guided Quartermaine since the amateur glory days, is, wisely, taking a cautious approach until the ink has dried on contracts.

He said: “It’s a risky bout for both of them. Danny wants it. It’s a tough battle because Price has done 10 rounds, but not at super-feather.

“Danny had 90 amateur fights with 15 losses – you don’t get that record unless you’re bloody good at what you do.

“Price says he’s a big puncher, but he hasn’t stopped anyone. I don’t think he’s a big puncher and I don’t think, at super-feather, he’ll be able to keep Danny off.”

Quartermaine has burned for a breakthrough fight. It now appears to be looming and, what’s more, it’s looming on his own patch.