Adam Booth chosen as the man to rebuild David Price's career

[Mofo2]

 

 

Following comprehensive back-to-back defeats to American Tony Thompson, Price, who still holds the British and Commonwealth titles, believes he has now found the man to unlock his potential. “It's a fresh start,†he said. “I can leave behind what has happened but know that I've learnt from it. I've got the passion back now and am looking forward to getting in shape and putting a few things right.

 

“To begin with I contacted a handful of world-class trainers and asked Adam if I could have a chat and perhaps get some advice. When I first turned pro I was signed by Hayemaker and only left because of the television situation at the time. Adam pointed me in the right direction after that – and advised me to go with Frank Maloney – and I've always valued his opinion. So, after a brief chat, I brought up the idea of him possibly training me and we decided to have a meeting. I assumed he wanted to see what kind of frame of mind I was in.

 

“We did a few sessions together just to see how it would work, and he then agreed to train me. I was made up about that because I know Adam is very selective when it comes to choosing fighters to work with. I've got a good feeling about this move, and truly believe Adam is the man to bring out my true potential.†Price's former promoter, Frank Maloney, announced his retirement recently. Booth, who doesn't train super middleweight George Groves anymore, liked the idea of taking on another British heavyweight:

 

“I've always seen massive potential in David and have always been interested in working with him on a full-time basis. In addition to being a talented fighter, he's also a very nice guy and someone who is good for the gym and good for me. I like his personality and I like what he stands for. But he's also much more than a nice guy. He's a big heavyweight, standing at six-foot-eight, and he punches harder than anyone I've ever taken on the pads. David has enough power in his right hand to knock out anybody in the heavyweight division. Now we need to add other things to his game to enable him to land his shots and once again feel comfortable in the ring.â€

 

Price ripped through his first 15 opponents in just thirty nine rounds of boxing, but the first time he stepped up from domestic class, he came heavily unstuck despite home advantage against seasoned campaigner Thompson. Many considered Price foolish to demand an immediate rematch with the American, but, obviously, pride played a part in the decision. Things looked promising in the second round of the rematch when he put Thompson down, but the American recovered to give Price a torrid time of it, stopping him on his feet in the fifth round. Some of the punches that Price remained upright after did, in part, answer questions about his chin, but the manner of defeat showed problems with Price's stamina, as well as the mental side of his preparations.

Now the rebuilding job begins, and Price thinks Booth can play a big part in getting him psychologically ready for the big fights.

 

“The mental side of the game is a big issue for me, and that's something Adam spends a lot of time thinking about and working on,†added Price.

“Even just sitting down and having a chat with him, I can tell we share a lot of the same ideas about the sport and about life. We've both got the same outlook, and this should make it very easy to gel. He has helped me get a few things off my chest recently, which has made me feel like the weight of the world has been lifted from my shoulders. It's a good feeling. Also, going with Adam means I'll be working alongside other top-class fighters like David Haye and Andy Lee, and I'll benefit from all the sparring partners that get brought over during training camps. This kind of world-class sparring can only bring out the best in me. Ultimately, I know I've made the right choice and I know this move will take me to that next level.â€