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Parker, Sheeraz, Donovan: Andy Lee's eye-catching stable of fighters ahead of all-Irish rematch
Paddy Donovan hopes to become Ireland’s latest world champion when he takes on rival Lewis Crocker this weekend, live on DAZN.
In the Irishman’s corner will be Andy Lee, a trainer quickly establishing a strong name - and strong stable - in the sport of boxing.
Unlike many other notable trainers, Lee knows what it takes to win a world title - having reigned as the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) middleweight champion between 2014 and 2015.
On the cusp of helping Donovan to world championship status, Lee has some other notable names that could be competing for top honours sooner rather than later.
Andy Lee’s boxing career
Lee was a talented amateur who competed at the 2004 Olympics, narrowly losing to future world champion Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam on countback.
He also narrowly lost to Gennady Golovkin at the 2003 World Amateur Championships, an event where he was spotted by Emanuel Steward.
Shortly after the Olympics, Lee was told he would receive funding from the Irish Sports Council to continue his amateur career and aim for a medal at the 2008 Beijing games.
However, a 19-year-old Lee instead opted to turn professional with Steward, who brought him to the United States to begin his career in the paid ranks.
Racking up 15 straight wins to start his career, fighting across the US, Germany, and Ireland, Lee would suffer setbacks on his route to glory.
He suffered a shock loss to Bryan Vera in 2008, but quickly rebuilt to get a shot at Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in 2012, the then-World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion.
Knocked out in the seventh round, Lee would have to wait another two years for another world title fight. This time he stopped Matt Korobov in the sixth round to secure the vacant WBO strap.
He would lose his belt two fights later, against Billy Joe Saunders, before returning once more to the ring to beat KeAndrae Leatherwood and retire with a record of 35-3-1 (24 KOs).
Andy Lee’s current stable of fighters
Lee is one of boxing’s busiest trainers at the moment, with plenty of notable faces working with the Irishman. Fellow Olympian Ben Whittaker trains under Lee’s watchful eye, having previously worked with fellow Kronk Gym attendee SugarHill Steward.
Another Brit predicted to achieve big things in boxing, Hamzah Sheeraz, has been working with Lee in recent months. After failing to impress when fighting WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames in February, Sheeraz’s debut at super middleweight in July saw him knock out Edgar Berlanga in devastating fashion.
Cris Esqueda/Golden Boy/Getty Images
Heavyweight Joseph Parker is one of Lee’s longest-serving students, whilst Donovan has worked with the former world champion since his days as an amateur.
Donovan’s cousin, Jim, also trains under Lee, and recently made his professional debut.
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Emanuel Steward and Kronk gym: Andy Lee’s coaching heritage
Lee comes from an established line of trainers, having worked under the well-respected Steward at the famed Kronk gym in Detroit, Michigan.
Alongside fellow Kronk-educated SugarHill Steward, Lee worked with Tyson Fury during his second world championship reign. Distantly related to Fury, Lee was in his corner when ‘The Gypsy King’ defeated Deontay Wilder in 2020 to regain world champion status.
Johnathan Banks is another coach to stem from Kronk Gym, taking over a host of fighters from Steward following his passing in 2012. Wladimir Klitschko, Golovkin, Dillian Whyte and Badou Jack have all worked with the American.
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Andy Lee fighters close to world titles
Having only retired in 2018, Lee has quickly built his own stable of fighters.
His work with Fury was one of the first examples of his skills as a trainer, which naturally attracted attention from other fighters. Fellow heavyweight Parker linked up with Lee in 2021, based on the recommendation of Fury.
What was meant to originally be a one-fight partnership grew into a relationship that continues to this day. Parker joined Lee as a former world champion, and together with his coach, they have rebuilt the Kiwi’s career to the brink of fighting for undisputed status.
Interim WBO champ Parker will face Fabio Wardley on Saturday, October 25, live on DAZN, as he awaits his shot at Oleksandr Usyk.
Parker is currently next in the mandatory order for Usyk, who holds all the marbles at heavyweight, but the Ukrainian has delayed any meeting after successfully appealing to the WBO for a postponement on injury grounds.
There is the possibility that Parker is upgraded to full champion outside of the ring and Lee has another hopeful for world glory in his stable.
Donovan would have felt that he was on his way to beating Crocker in the original meeting of the pair back in May if he had not lost his cool and struck his rival after the bell.
However, that mistake could prove to be a blessing in disguise, with the subsequent rematch being given a big boon. Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis vacated the International Boxing Federation (IBF) strap at 147lbs to campaign at super welterweight, leaving the sanctioning body to arrange Crocker-Donovan 2 to be for the vacant welterweight world championship.
Whilst Lee was in the corner for Fury’s success over Wilder, he was technically assistant coach, meaning that if Donovan proves victorious this Saturday, he would be the first fighter under Lee’s direct charge to become a world champion.
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