CAMP CASEY, South Korea — When Spc. Jason Price entered a boxing ring for the first and last time Saturday night, he had a few friends from his platoon in his corner supporting him.

On Wednesday, he had a whole battalion in his corner.

They remembered Price, who collapsed following the fight and was pronounced dead two hours later, as a supreme jokester and a tank driver who enjoyed his job.

Price, of the 2nd Infantry Division’s Company C, 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry, peppered everyone with put-downs and jokes, from privates to generals. More importantly, he was funny enough to get away with it, his friends agreed.

Sgt. 1st Class James Lawson recalled a moment at the gunnery range when Price drove his tank too fast.

When Lawson and an officer confronted him, he did an impression of Will Ferrell’s race-car-driving character in the movie "Talladega Nights."

"He said ‘Sir, I can’t slow down, because I’m Ricky Bobby. If you’re not first, you’re last,’ " Lawson recalled.

But Price’s antics belied his competitive nature, whether it was racing horses in his native West Virginia, playing video games or competing in the ring.

"No matter what we were doing, he wanted to be the best," Pfc. Joseph Moore said.

He brought that fire to the Area I boxing championships. For weeks, Price went to the gym for two or three hours every night in preparation, Pfc. Jacob Lewis said.

"His knuckles were bloody from punching the bag so hard," Lewis said.

His training appeared to pay off. During the first round, he knocked down his opponent.

In the second round, he began stumbling but told the soldiers in his corner he was OK.

During the third round, he leaned on the ropes and took a standing eight count before the referee stopped the fight.

"Then he pulled his gloves off, took a few steps to the side and collapsed," Pfc. Shawn King said.

Lying unconscious, he was rushed to the Camp Casey Troop Medical Clinic and later airlifted to the 121st Combat Support Hospital at Yongsan Garrison, where he was pronounced dead at 10:40 p.m.

Even as they did their best to remember the good times, Price’s shocking death left King and others thinking about life’s most difficult questions.

"When he got in the ring, the last thing he said to me was, ‘I have nothing to lose,’ " King said.

Price was promoted to specialist posthumously, said his company commander, Capt. Colin Cremin.

Military officials were scheduled to perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death, but results were not yet available Tuesday afternoon.

Division officials said they have ceased participation in post boxing tournaments.

Officials from South Korea’s Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation said they are waiting for a final report on Price’s death before making a decision on future boxing tournaments.

Price is survived by his mother, Barbara Price, of Newell, W.Va.