By Shaun Campbell: George Groves has sensationally split with longtime trainer Adam Booth, as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career against IBF/WBA super-middleweight champion Carl Froch. Rumors with circulating across social media sites yesterday, but today Adam Smith of Sky Sports confirmed that Booth had “personally told him” that the rumors were true.
Yesterday was the official opening press conference between Groves and Froch, and it was clear for all to see that the usually confidence and charming Groves was not himself. He seemed subdued and as if his mind was elsewhere, which will hardly be reassuring to his fans as he is approaching the biggest test he’s had to date. In a relatively low key press conference Froch was his usually confidence, almost arrogant self, as he sat alongside his longtime trainer Robert McCracken. Booth however, was not present. In his place sat Adam Smith, head of boxing at Sky Sports, who is also close friends with both Booth and Groves.
As of yet there has been no word as to why the split has occurred, but Smith has suggested it is more than just mind games or “a lovers tiff”, and stated that it was “quite sad” when he visited David Haye (also trained by Booth) work out for his upcoming fight with Tyson Fury, as Groves was not present at the gym.
Haye, Groves and Booth have been a small, but very close team since Groves made his debut in 2008. Since that time he’s come through tough tests such as against Kenny Anderson. Booth masterminded the plan in which Groves caused a massive upset when he beat James Degale for the British title.
It is still not confirmed who will now train Groves for his first world title shot. Some have suggested that Jimmy Tibbs could take on the job as he is local to Groves. There’s also Dominic Ingle in Sheffield who has trained fighters with a similar type of style to Groves, but obviously for that to occur Groves would have to relocate to Yorkshire, as Ingle has begun training with Kell Brook for his upcoming fight with Vyacheslav Senchenko.
We await for details regarding this.
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