Tyson Fury: Andy Lee hopes for Ben Davison role in new heavyweight setup
- Published
Tyson Fury worked with Ben Davison as he returned to boxing in 2018 after battling mental health issues
Tyson Fury's split with trainer Ben Davison feels "unnecessary" according to Andy Lee, who says he will act as a "bridge" to help the pair move forward.
Fury, 31, is working with Detroit-based Javan SugarHill Steward and has also called on Lee to form part of the team training him to face Deontay Wilder.
Lee says he has "no idea" why Fury and Davison parted and says the two could still "work together" under Steward.
"I would like to see them reconcile and get back, it's not too late," Lee said.
Speaking to the 5 Live Boxing Podcast, former world middleweight champion Lee added: "I just feel it's unnecessary that they should be this strong-willed when the goal, to get the heavyweight championship of the world, is such a big purpose.
"I would like to see them get back together and if I can be a bridge for that, I will definitely be pushing it."
Andy Lee won a world middleweight title in 2014 and has worked as a pundit for 5 Live boxing since retiring
In his last bout, Fury beat Sweden's Otto Wallin in September despite suffering a horrific cut. In the aftermath, Fury's father John heavily criticised his team, stating that the fighter looked "as weak as a kitten".
Davison moved in to Fury's home and helped him lose around 10 stone in weight before the boxer returned to the sport in 2018. He was widely credited with helping to transform Fury's mental and physical health during that period.
In addition, Davison was instrumental in helping Fury to a draw with WBC world heavyweight champion Wilder just six months after his return and the pair were expected to team up again for the rematch, slated for 22 February.
Instead, Fury will start training on 1 January in Las Vegas under Steward, who is the nephew of the late Emmanuel Steward, the Hall of Fame trainer who guided Wladimir Klitschko, Thomas Hearns and Lennox Lewis.
"I got a call from Tyson and he just said he was thinking of bringing someone else into the camp to help," Lee, 35, added. "We talked about several coaches we both knew. I suggested SugarHill.
"He said: 'I was thinking of him.' They had worked together a bit when Tyson visited Detroit and when we visited the Klitschko camp in Austria.
"Emmanuel Steward would be busy with Wladimir, so SugarHill would train me and Tyson. I think it's an excellent match. SugarHill emphasises a lot on balance and being strong with the jab.
"I think Tyson, for the Wilder fight, will have to do what he does - feint, move, be tricky, unpredictable - but also have a little more authority in his punches.
"He hurt Wilder several times first time around. With SugarHill in the corner, if he has him hurt again, I think you will see Tyson going for the finish."
After Steward came on board, Lee was asked to join the team by Fury.
At the time, he assumed Davison would be part of the group, only for the British trainer to then tweet that his working relationship with Fury had ended - while stressing their friendship remained intact.
"I haven't seen anything from either on why they split up," Lee added. "I don't know; it seems a bit knee-jerk.
"My role is basically to be another set of eyes, to give advice where I can, if I see something I think can be improved or worked on.
"You can't serve too many masters in boxing. There can't be dissenting voices. It could always be difficult having two main coaches in a camp. So I guess that was Ben's decision.
"It's a shame it's gone this way as Tyson and Ben have been one of the great stories of the past few years with Tyson coming back from the abyss."
'A life saved and too many involved' - 5 Live Boxing analysis
BBC Sport Boxing correspondent Mike Costello:
I was talking a decade ago to an athletics coach who said that sometimes you need a coach to come in and put out the fires. In this case for Davison, as Fury has said himself, he not only saved his career but highly likely saved his life.
This athletics coach said sometimes someone has to put out the fire but you need a new name and face to do the rebuilding after that.
5 Live Boxing analyst Steve Bunce:
I would agree with that completely if Fury was fighting to beat Anthony Joshua or Andy Ruiz Jr. But he is fighting a man who Ben had laid out a plan to beat. That plan worked that night when they fought in 2018.
It's the same Wilder now, maybe a bit more accomplished, but perhaps Tyson is thinking back on this year and perhaps he's got a bit stale. I thought after the Otto Wallin fight that perhaps they needed to freshen things up or have a shorter camp.
My understanding is that Ben felt there were too many people involved.
- Published7 December 2019
