Booth: Haye Is Not Battle Hardened

David Haye’s former trainer, Adam Booth has said the Londoner is battle soft ahead of his grudge fight against Tony Bellew.

The heavyweight boxer is the favourite to win the fight on Saturday against Bellew at The O2 Arena.

However Haye has spent under three rounds in the ring since his fight against Chisora in 2012, and Booth is concerned about his physical condition.

“It [his prediction] has to be David Haye, because I’ve been his coach since he was 16 up to the age of 30-whatever so if I don’t pick him now, it will just look like I’m being bitter,” Booth told Sky Sports.

“He is very, very heavy handed and we don’t know how much fight he has in him, and he won’t know until he actually gets tested – especially with his injuries.

“If you are putting smart money on it, you’d have to pick David to win early, but if Tony can cope with that heavy-handedness and drag him into a fight after the mid-stage…

“Tony is battle-hardened over the past few years, whereas David has probably become battle-softened and the second half could expose that.

“It’s definitely a fight of Haye’s heavy-handedness and sharp-shooting style, getting to grips with it early and winning, or can Bellew withstand that assault – what is going to get slung on him – and drag it into a dogfight in the second half?”

“He knows the level he is going to be at now and that he can’t turn up like he has for his last two fights,” said Booth.

“He would’ve put in more athletic training, made himself a little bit lighter, quicker, because of the fellows he’s been fighting now, he could not train and win.

“But knowing David and how old he is, he knows what he’s about, he knows what’s best for him, and he’ll want to train how he wants to train.”

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