English heavyweight David Price will now face Germany’s Konstantin Airich when he makes his much-delayed comeback into the ring this month.

The 30-year-old from Liverpool had been scheduled to fight Russian journeyman Evengy Orlov on Jan. 25, in Stuttgart, Germany, on the show featuring the rematch between WBO cruiserweight holder Marco Huck and Firat Arslan.

However, after an impressive fortnight working with his new American trainer Tommy Brooks, Price (15-2, 13 knockouts) is deemed ready for a stiffer test, according to his German promoter, Team Sauerland.

So, instead, Hamburg resident Airich (19-7-2, 15 KOs) has been drafted in to replace Orlov.

It will be Price’s first outing since last July when he suffered a second knockout defeat at the hands of American veteran Tony Thompson. Until those shock back-to-back losses, Price was unbeaten and touted as a future title challenger.

Price should have fought Orlov in mid-December but illness forced him to postpone the return.

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