Can Adam Booth Bring David Price Back from Defeat?

After months of speculation, it has been announced that Liverpool’s current British and Commonwealth Heavyweight champion David Price has recruited Adam Booth, “the Dark Lord of British Boxing”, and the current trainer of two-weight world champion David Haye, to be his new trainer.

The decision comes after Price decided to leave his long time trainer Franny Smith, who he worked with at the Salisbury ABC amateur club and helped guide him to British and Commonwealth title wins over Sam Sexton, a former Commonwealth champion and also against former world title challenger and former British champion Matt Skelton.

Price then suffering two career shattering losses to Tony Thompson in front of adoring fans at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. In the first fight, Price was dropped by a left hook by the veteran American southpaw in the third round before falling apart in such dramatic fashion in the second fight despite having Thompson down in the third round, which left Price’s career and rise to the top in serious question.

Following those two dark fights has come the split with Smith and this week has seen the announcement that Price’s promoter Frank Maloney has also decided to call it a day as a promoter and manager in boxing.

So, this also presents a fresh start for the likable Liverpudlian Price, which will give him a new energy and approach to the sport.

Booth will be able to address the psychological elements of the losses and address Price’s stamina issues as questions still remain over whether or not Price can actually go the 12 rounds should future fights in his career go that long, when his destructive power fails to shift the man in front of him.

Another part of the Price armoury that Booth will be busy working on is his technical ability. He will look to get Price to box behind his left jab, which, when he uses it, is a powerful and accurate weapon which allows him to set up the left hook and that booming straight right hand.

And it will be worth seeing in November, when Price is targeting his comeback to the ring with a tune-up bout before potentially taking up an opportunity to secure his Lonsdale belt for keeps against Dereck Chisora.
So, the Price-Booth union shall be a partnership that will be worth watching.