Paul Butler, Arnie Farnell End Working Relationship on Good Terms

By Elliot Foster

Paul Butler has insisted that he and Arnie Farnell have parted on good terms.

The Ellesmere Port super flyweight (21-1, 12 KOs) and his trainer have split after six years together, it was revealed on Thursday.

Boxing Scene reached out to Butler after hearing the news and was told that “there was nothing personal” about the pair ending their working relationship.

Former world bantamweight champion Butler told ‘Scene: “I was going to sit down with Arnie this weekend, at the [Ellesmere] Port [Sports Village] show [which was being promoted by Longshots Sports], but that got cancelled, so I had to make the phone call and it was that I dreaded.

“Listen, I love Arnie to bits and he’s one of my best mates, so it was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” Butler continued with a tinge of emotion in his voice.

The pair won British, Commonwealth, fringe WBO & WBA belts as well as the coveted IBF world title together, but ‘The Baby-Faced Assassin’ said he came to the decision over a long period –– and it wasn’t just a spur of the moment thing.

“After I got beat by [Zolani] Tete [LTKO8, March, 2015], I was gutted, obviously, but Arnie and I have had four good wins since and that’s what I said to him.

“I told him: ‘I didn’t want to be a shithouse and leave you after a loss like others have and we’ve had four good wins [since the Tete defeat].’

“But I just felt a bit stale and like it was time for a change. This sport is a very selfish one and I’ve just felt really flat lately and I need this to reinvigorate me.

“Give Arnie his due, he took it really well and just told me that it was the right decision ‘if that’s what I wanted’.

“But I can’t just forget them. I’ve been in the gym for years and Arnie’s my mate, like I said, so I’ll still go and watch the lads box, stay in contact with them all and pop in the gym from time to time to see everyone.”

Boxing Scene understands that Oliver Harrison, the trainer of former British super middleweight title challenger Rocky Fielding and ex-four-time world title challenger Martin Murray, is one of a number of coaches Butler is considering teaming up with as he looks to enter a new era of his professional career.

“I was devastated, but I had to think about myself, rather than trying to keep everyone else happy,” he said.