Tyson Fury retired after his impressive career reached a roadblock in Oleksandr Usyk, but his coach had an extremely impressive career too, down in the middleweight division.
Tyson Fury achieved some great things in his heavyweight career, from fighting from the brink of depression to becoming a two-time world champion against one of the most feared punchers in the sport – all of which his coach, Andy Lee, was by his side for.
Lee is Fury’s second cousin and joined his team as an assistant coach to SugarHill Steward, nephew of Emmanuel Steward, Lee’s own former trainer.
Andy Lee was dropped before rendering opponent unconscious with one shot
In 2014, three years before hanging up the gloves for good, Lee faced John Jackson. Jackson’s record at the time was 18-1 to Lee’s 32-2.
The fight was no breeze for Lee, who was in trouble multiple times in the fight. He was dropped in the very first round, but quickly regained his composure and fought on.
In the fifth, Jackson staggered Lee after backing him up onto the ropes. However, as Jackson continued his onslaught, Lee fired back with a lethal right hook that sent Jackson to the canvas.
The commentator stated: “Andy Lee laid a trap.”
Andy Lee now trains two of the most controversial boxers in the sport
Fury, who gave Anthony Joshua career advice years ago, is not the only fighter Lee has trained, and he’s perhaps best known for the work he’s done with Joseph Parker, who he took on for the Derek Chisora rematch. Lee has overseen Parker’s wins over Wilder, Zhang, and Bakole – one of the heaviest boxers ever.
But there are two other boxers who have stirred much controversy that Lee trains.
The first is Irishman Paddy Donovan, who, after punching Lewis Crocker after the bell sounded, was disqualified in a world title eliminator that he was clearly winning.
Some fans believe Donovan’s actions were dirty and unjustified, whilst others believe there was a delayed reaction from the referee to break up the fight on the bell, and Donovan didn’t realize the round was over. Donovan has launched an appeal over the Crocker fight disqualification.
The other boxer is the newest to Lee’s stable, and is none other than Ben Whittaker. The showboating extraordinaire came unstuck lately when he faced his first real test in Liam Cameron. Whittaker did not seem his usual showboating self in the ring with Cameron, who many expected would be easy work for the Birmingham boxer.
Whittaker and Cameron ended bizarrely as the pair, entangled, fell out of the ring together, leaving Whittaker with an injury that left him unable to continue. Cameron claims Whittaker faked the injury to withdraw from the fight.
They are set to rematch on Easter Sunday, April 20th.