British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion David Price insists he would take little pleasure from dishing out a one-sided beating to Audley Harrison in his native Liverpool on Saturday night.

By his own admission, former Olympic gold medallist Harrison is facing the end of a professional career that has lurched from frustration to farce should he lose to the man who claimed Beijing bronze eight years on from his own Sydney high-watermark.

The last high-profile sighting of Harrison in a British boxing ring was his infamously lacklustre three-round loss to then-WBA champion David Haye in November 2010, where he turned in a display that veered towards pacifism.

An 18-month hiatus to let a debilitating pectoral injury heal - interspersed with a spell on BBC reality show Strictly Come Dancing - ended when the 40-year-old knocked out lightly regarded Londoner Ali Adams in May.

Familiar tales of an excellent training camp have been accompanied by a tell-all statement on Harrison's official website this week, laying bare the trials and tribulations of his time in the paid ranks and proclaiming personal redemption.

Price, who boasts 11 stoppages on a 13-fight record that many good judges believe marks him out as an heir to the Klitschko brothers, is glad to hear it.

"If Audley Harrison wants to retire if I beat him, that's his choice," said Price, 29, at the final press conference for the Echo Arena clash.

"I'm completely focusing on my performance on Saturday. I'm delighted to hear that Audley has had a great training camp and he has a renewed spirit.

"I'd gain no satisfaction whatsoever beating up on him like David Haye did. I want him to come and fight and provide value for money for fans and that's what I'm going to do.

"I'm going to go in there with every intention, with all due respect, to put a performance on and knock my opponent out."

For his part, Harrison (28-5) is committed to doing something his critics might suggest he has failed to produce all too frequently on the big occasion.

He said: "I feel as if I have gone full circle and my spirit is renewed for boxing, that's the bottom line.

"On Saturday night the only person that is going to make me retire is David Price.

"He is going to have to beat me with his skill because I am turning up and putting on a performance."