Adam Booth Says Klitschko Reputation Is a Lie

David Haye trainer Adam Booth tells the Telegraph that the gentlemanly reputation of the Klitschko brothers is a lie:

"The Klitschkos hold, lean, and push in their fights," said Booth. "Those things corrupt the course of fights, and are not in the rule book. Wladimir and the people around him are passive-aggressive bullies. It takes more than a suit, well-coiffed hair and a tie done up to make a gentleman and be respectful."

Booth has been at the heart of contract negotiations for this eagerly-anticipated contest, a process which has spanned 30 months. Dealing with the Klitschkos has been "exasperating", he said.

"They go on about respect, but the way they go about their business with their opponents and the contracts they have is about as far from respectful as you can be. They get away with as much greed and bullying as they can," Booth said.

I'm sure there's more to this than just the element of talking some trash about the Klitschkos. I'm certain that fighters who are used to easily having their way in negotiations were, in fact, a bit of a pain to negotiate with for a fight where both sides offered something instead of the usual Klitschko matchup, where frankly the money is all coming from the side of the brothers. But I'm also quite certain that Haye and Booth were no peach during the negotiations either. That's what negotiations are when both sides have leverage. A big, fat pain in the ass.

It was surely a two-way street, is all I'm saying.