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Andy Lee links up with Tyson Fury in LA

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Andy Lee begun his role as a Team Fury member over the weekend.

The Limerick man is currently in Los Angles and is working alongside heavyweight Tyson Fury as he steps up camp for his massive rematch with Deontay Wilder.

The press conference to officially announce the bout takes place in LA today and Lee is expected attend, although it’s his influence in the gym rather than in front of the media the former heavyweight champion of the world will most look to benefit from.

The last man to hold the Irish heavyweight title confirmed he had split with Ben Davidson in December and revealed he would team up Emmanuel Steward’s nephew Javan ‘Sugar Hill’ Steward late last year.

Fury also revealed Lee, who has close links to ‘Sugar Hill’ through his Emanuel Steward and Kronk past, would be part of the team and the Limerick man is now Stateside with giant star.

Speaking before he joined the camp, the former middleweight champion of the world revealed he was unsure of what his role will be, but it seems he is very much trusted by Fury and will be heavily involved.

“I don’t know what my role will be,” he explained to Off the Brawl.

“[I’m] someone who knows him personally, maybe more than ‘Sugarhill’ knows him, and someone who can just be there, give my opinion and I also know a thing or two so I can work him a little bit.”

Lee also revealed that when suggesting Sugar Hill he thought he was recommending someone to join the team similar to how Freddy Roach did last time out.

The Limerick man wasn’t expecting Fury to split from the young coach that has worked with him throughout his comeback and in the first Wilder fight.

“It’s unfortunate, it seems, that Ben Davison will no longer be involved. I had said to ‘Sugarhill’, ‘Ben is there and he is his coach, but he’s bringing you in.’

“‘Sugarhill’ said he was happy to work with him, that he’d been in this position before with other coaches and that we’d all work together to get the best result.”

“So, what’s happened between Ben and Tyson, that’s between them. Maybe they’ll get it back on, maybe they won’t.

“I was looking forward to being in the camp with both of them, watching them work and learning from both ‘Sugarhill’ and Ben Davison.”

Lee is head trainer for both Paddy Donovan and Jason Quigley, who could both benefit from the link up.

Both are currently in LA getting ready for seperate fight dates.

Quigley returns at the OC Hanger in Costa Mesa, California on January 23 while Donovan is guaranteed a slot on Micheal Conlan’s March 17 bill, but may fight earlier.

It’s safe to surmise both are in and around Fury and the camp in the build up to the massive February 22 rematch.

dpg

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

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