Daryl Gurney challenges Gerwyn Price to boxing match

DARYL GURNEY has raised the stakes ahead of his World Darts Championship quarter-final against Gerwyn Price by challenging the 'Iceman' to a heavyweight darting dust-up in the boxing ring.
Things get heated at the end of the Premier League match between Daryl Gurney and Gerwyn Price in Sheffield in 2019 as referee, George Noble and security have to intervene.Things get heated at the end of the Premier League match between Daryl Gurney and Gerwyn Price in Sheffield in 2019 as referee, George Noble and security have to intervene.
Things get heated at the end of the Premier League match between Daryl Gurney and Gerwyn Price in Sheffield in 2019 as referee, George Noble and security have to intervene.

The two-times major winner knows he has a real fight on his hands to stay in the 2021 world championships at the Alexandra Palace on New Year's Day.

However, he's got a 'Superchin' and fancies his chances both at the oche and in the ring should the Welshman be brave enough to take up the challenge.

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Gurney has history with the former professional rugby union hooker as tempers flared at the end of a tense Premier League match-up in Sheffield back in 2019 when security had to separate the two men after an ugly tussle on stage.

The pair have since made up and are good friends away from the dart board but they were involved in some light-hearted verbal sparring on Twitter after Anthony Joshua's victory over Pulev at the start of December when a fan asked Gurney who would win a fight between him and Cardiff-born Price.

Gurney boldly claimed he would emerge the victor on points while Price hit back with a second round KO prediction.

World number three, Price has a tendency to rub opponents up the wrong way during games with his aggressive celebrations and Gurney's fighting talk will certainly stoke up the tension ahead of a mouthwatering quarter-final duel.

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The gloves are off but whichever way the last eight clash goes, Gurney insists he will be prepared to re-engage in battle in the boxing ring later in the New Year.

"I'd be up for it anyway and so would he," laughed Gurney who claimed he was 'punching above his weight' after an impressive fourth round win over the 'Dutch Destroyer', Vincent van der Voort this week.

"Physique-wise I'd need a bit more time to get ready than he would. It would definitely be something we would do for a bit of fun or even if it was done for charity or something like that. It wouldn't bother us.

"I think as soon as we walked through the ropes though we would get all serious," he laughed. "Anything is possible at this stage."

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Gurney has a former British and European heavyweight boxing contender in his corner in manager, Clifton Mitchell and in Matchroom and Barry Hearn's son, Eddie, they've got a ready-made promoter and matchmaker.

READY TO RUMBLE . . . Daryl Gurney roars his way into the quarter-finals of the William Hill World Darts Championships for the second time, following victory over Vincent van der Voort.READY TO RUMBLE . . . Daryl Gurney roars his way into the quarter-finals of the William Hill World Darts Championships for the second time, following victory over Vincent van der Voort.
READY TO RUMBLE . . . Daryl Gurney roars his way into the quarter-finals of the William Hill World Darts Championships for the second time, following victory over Vincent van der Voort.

"I've got Matchroom in my corner anyways," he joked. "And I've got one of the people who is involved with my management, he's an ex-boxer as well and was one fight away from fighting for a world heavyweight title.

"I'm very good friends with him, so if I need a crash course I know where to go.

"Myself and Gerwyn are good friends but if one of us can wind the other up first we'll do it."

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He's already knocked out Willie O'Connor, Chris Dobey and Vincent van der Voort on his way to his second ever quarter-final at the 'Ally Pally'.

And Price looked in sensational form as he saw off Mervyn King in five sets scoring three ton-plus checkouts and a double success rate of 52 percent in a convincing fourth round win.

"Daryl is a fantastic player and I'll have to be at my best to beat him but I'm determined to go on and win the tournament because I've got my eyes on that world number one spot," said Price after his fourth round win.

There is mutual respect between the pair but who will emerge as the 'oche Balboa' of the darts world?

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