JUST WHEN ANDY Lee thought he was out, Paddy Donovan pulled him back in.
Former middleweight world champion Lee was 12 months retired from the sport in February 2019 when he caught the itch at Dublin’s National Stadium.
Lee, who had recently become a father for the first time, had never felt the urge to return to the ring but recognised enough of himself in young Paddy Donovan to realise that he had more left to give to the sport than he had previously imagined.
Lee was aggrieved on TG4′s co-commentary when Donovan, an artful Limerick southpaw who hailed from the Travelling community, drew the short stick from the judges in an all-time classic national Elite welterweight final with Galway’s Kieran Molloy.
Lee’s removal from boxing’s day-to-day effectively ended when Donovan’s dad, ‘Gugu’, asked Lee for advice about his son turning professional following his defeat in the 69kg showpiece.
Lee initially vowed to put the feelers out for Donovan, an elite talent who had first crossed his radar at the age of 11 under the guidance of his brother, Roger Lee.
Such was the level of interest in Donovan’s signature upon Lee’s recommendation, however, that the former middleweight took the wheel altogether: within weeks, the Irish prospect was signed to Bob Arum’s Top Rank with Lee assuming the role of Donovan’s trainer and manager.
They first got to work on 1 May 2019 and they’ll return to the office this Saturday in Belfast, where Donovan, now 14-0(11KOs) as a pro, faces the equally heralded hometown hero Lewis Crocker [20-0, 11KOs] in a final eliminator for the IBF welterweight world title, live on DAZN.
“Me and Paddy have been together a long time and it’s been great to see him mature as a fighter and person,” says Lee of his 26-year-old protégé.
“I’m proud of the man and fighter he is. We are very, very close, I think. I’m his mentor. I’ve been mentoring him since the day I started training him.”
Theirs is not a father-son-type relationship: Donovan is a married dad of two in his own right, albeit Lee’s influence has doubtless helped him with each of those responsibilities throughout his early to mid-twenties.
Keith Sullivan, the New York City lawyer who now co-manages Donovan with Lee, describes it as being more like “an older brother mentoring his younger brother”.
“But at times it goes even deeper”, adds Sullivan, “like kindred spirits walking towards a common goal.”
Even between fights, when Donovan is off duty, Lee and his boxer will chat most days. That proved invaluable to Donovan between 2021 and 2023 in particular, when he lost several relatives in quick succession and his dear friend, fellow Limerick boxer Kevin Sheehy, was murdered.
Where it felt necessary, Lee was the voice in Donovan’s ear or the hand on his shoulder, helping to haul him out of a blender brimming with grief and anger and detachment.
“My relationship with Andy feels more than just fighter-trainer,” says Donovan, whose ‘Real Deal’ moniker was suggested to him by heavyweight talent Sheehy shortly before he was killed. “We have a very close bond. He’s put me under his wing since the day I met him, guiding me in all the right ways.
Andy has made it like a journey, inside and outside the ring. To be in the position that I am in today, fighting in a world title eliminator, is a great feeling.
“Having Andy in the corner is a big bonus for any fighter”, Donovan adds, “and for me to have him in my corner is a big advantage.”
Lee’s technical acumen is not the only perk. For the last five years, Donovan has absorbed via osmosis the fight preparation of former heavyweight world champions Tyson Fury and Joseph Parker, training alongside them for showdowns of global interest including their respective victories over Deontay Wilder.
Lee was again able to sync the camps of Parker and Donovan by scheduling them to fight a week apart in Saudi Arabia and Belfast.
Donovan took on a warm-weather mini-camp in Riyadh for his upcoming showdown with Crocker as Lee geared up Parker for his heavyweight title bout with Daniel Dubois, which ultimately became a second-round knockout of Martin Bakole as Dubois withdrew through to illness.
Donovan had returned home to Ireland before all of that 11th-hour drama but were he not fighting himself this Saturday, he would have been in the dressing room with Parker and Lee, soaking in the pre-fight process just as he has with Fury on several occasions.
“I’ve been preparing him for when he’d be in the situation when it was his turn to be the headliner,” Lee says of Donovan. “Now, he’s headlining. Even though he hasn’t had that experience yet, he’s been at all of those big fights and he’ll know what to expect.”
Days removed from his ring-walk, at least, Donovan is utterly unfazed by the prospect of facing Belfast native Crocker at the SSE Arena, which will be frothing upon first sight of the Limerick antagonist on Saturday night.
The consensus is that the biggest all-Irish bout in living memory will pit a fluid, reflexive boxer in Donovan against a more front-foot aggressive puncher in ‘Croc’, but Lee and Donovan have been at pains to change that perception in the lead-up.
Donovan, after all, has a far higher knockout percentage than Crocker against a similar level of opposition to this point.
It should be stressed as well, though, that Crocker is no plodding brawler but a finely tuned technician in his own right.
The bookies see their bout as a literal 50-50, which wasn’t the case even for Dmitry Bivol’s narrow revenge victory over Artur Beterbiev in last Saturday’s main event in Saudi.
But Donovan is convinced that he has the tools to distinguish himself from his domestic rival and explode out of the bottleneck towards world honours.
“This is one of the best fights ever in Ireland,” Donovan says.
The Irish boxing scene has been starved for many years, especially down south. My goal is now to lead the way and lift the sport to another level. I believe I’m the fighter [to become] the face of Irish boxing. I’m the person to do it.
“I’m the better boxer,” adds The Real Deal. “More skilful, punches just as hard… I’ve an 80% knockout ratio and he’s 50%. Anyone that has shared the ring with me knows exactly how hard I punch. Maybe Lewis is underestimating my power but he’ll soon find out.
Too slick. Too skilful. Too good. I win this fight by knockout. I believe I knock him out with a well-timed punch. I think he’ll get careless and he’ll walk onto a shot. I believe his lights will go out. I’ll turn them out.
The physical work is already done. As far as preparation goes, all that’s left is for Lee to ensure once again that his boxer is at the right emotional pitch for a night that could easily crush the uninitiated.
“The keys for Paddy are for him to just be himself: box smart and be precise, use his skills, punch when Crocker punches — at the same time — and go for the finish when the opportunity comes,” Lee says.
“It’s a great fight between two young fighters. Both are big punchers, both will be going for the knockout.
“It’s important for Paddy to not get emotionally involved in the fight, because it’s a big rivalry and the fight is in our country.
“There will be a lot of fans and support coming for both sides. From my experience, it’s important for Paddy to disengage from all of that and just focus on the fight and enjoy the night.”
Ex crusader and 3 super rugby titles. That’s how you recruit…
@Amen Limes: would hav been exactly what Munster needed… don’t know how Leinster do it
@Stanley: private funding
@Chris Tobin: more how they attract and choose the right players, they’ve let loads go in recent times and haven’t signed anybody in ages…
@Chris Tobin: you mean the generous private funding Munster received to sign two World Cup Winners in RG and DDA?
@Stanley: he’s not FROM SA or Dublin how would he fit into a munster squad
@Chris Mc: harsh but fair hahaha
@Stanley: You want to know how they do it Stanley? Winning
@Stanley: winning titles
@Stanley: The organisation is way better run than anywhere else. Certainly better than the desk sleepers we have.
Blocking homegrown talent.
@Shimmy Shammy: theres a difference between blocking homegrown talent and supplementing it. He is supplementing it
@Shimmy Shammy: like Salanoa or Aungier who both left this season from the youth system?
@Shimmy Shammy: From what i can see, Leinster are feeding all 3 provinces with starters
@Dan Duggan: Connacht produced Leinster best player this year….. Henshaw
@Dan Duggan: and by doing so ensuring they can’t beat Leinster. none of the other 3 provinces are going to beat leinster with leinsters rejects
@kev: yeah with Salano jumping ship to play twice a year for munster we needed a player to step in while Ireland use our first 2 tightheads and Tom Clarkson gets a tiny bit older.
@Patrick O Connell: what difference does that make? Leinster as has been well established have less players from outside their province than all the other provinces. Munster (where I’m from) best player this year (beirne) is from Kildare, as is Carberry, Loughman, and Rowan Osborne (who joins shortly). There’s obviously Conway, Haley, Gallagher, Salanoa, Snyman, Stander, cloete, De Allende, Farrell, Kleyn, Kenyan Knox, Rhys Marshall, Patterson and now the other South African second row to name a few. You need try not resent others and clearly that is the only reason you’d name check Henshaw and him being from Connacht.
@Simon Kerins: dont forget Fardy is Australian, Lowe, Bent, JGP are from New Zealand, Cronin is Limerick,
@Simon Kerins: he’s from Athlone which is in Leinster the last time I checked he did play for Connacht and of course why would you not want to play for Leinster
@Patrick O Connell: Simon has destroyed you there. Take your scolding.
@Patrick O Connell: again he’s from Leinster…
@Patrick O Connell: 5 compared to about 25. Huge difference. 4 out of those 5 are internationals too.
@Simon Kerins: so ye have Aalatoa, bent, cronin, fardy, abdaladze, doris, Gibson park, henshaw, lowe and that’s fine! Dont anyone else dare sign players! But I will give ye one thing ye have the cash to pay top buck for anyone ye sign. Probably the biggest money team in Europe. It took some cash to make Lancaster stay in Dublin for Christmas day! Not like Munster with their yellowpack Van Grann…. doomed to another years failure under him sadly.
@Sean Doheny: he was produced in Connacht system, Connacht Clubs and schools Cup, then Province all the way to Irish team, then to Leinster….
@Kevin O’brien: as I was saying and you’ve highlighted it even more, Leinster still have significantly less from outside the province than Munster or any other province. As I said also, I’m from Munster but so many in this forum seem to resent Leinster success. Begrudery still seems to be alive and well in this country sadly.
@Patrick O Connell: I’m aware of this. Fardy and Bent potentially finishing up so that still leaves a huge proportion less from outside the province compared to all the other provinces. There will be 8 with Alatoa. There’s 17/18 in Munster, 23/24 in Ulster and 16 or so in Connacht. Don’t know why you keep arguing the point when these are the facts..??
@Simon Kerins: no argument there lad, all the 4?provinces have blow in from other provinces and abroad. Every province goes through it at some stage, Leinster during the 90’s and noughties and Munster and Ulster over the last decade
@Carmine Lorenzo: fake account
@Harry O’Callaghan: The “Henshaw is from Leinster” is so tired. In the context of rugby, not geography, he is Connacht. And we are talking about rugby. The man would tell you himself, his family are engrained in Connacht, supported Connacht, came through Connacht schools, clubs, academy, senior team, etc. I don’t know if ye are recent to the game, but if you are not, I reckon you’d be aware Athlone, which is partially in Connacht, is part of the Connacht system.
Like Doris, he was raised in Mayo, but ask anyone in the Sportsground and they’d acknowledge him Leinster bred player, and would remain saying that even if he went to Ulster or Munster. And he actually played in the Connacht system underage.
Its a tired argument, and just highlights an ignorance to the way the Irish game works.
@Cathal Carr: He grew up in Coosan which is in west meath. So no he’s not from Connaught.
@Patrick O Connell: Fardy and Bent are off at the end of the season. JGP and Lowe will be the only foreign born players in the squad other than Alaalatoa. And both are IQ. Not sure what the story is with Cronin. He’s seen very little game time this season and even factoring injuries seems to be out of favour. Not sure when his contract is up, but even if he stays that would be 3 foreign born players and 2 players from other provinces in a squad of 45 or so. Leaving 40 or so local lads. And considering we used 57 players this season then thats less than 10% of the players we use each season that we haven’t developed. What other club in the world can say that?
@John Molloy: careful with your phrasing, Abdaladze, Doris, McGrath, Frawley, Henshaw, O’Brien, all also born outside of Leinster
@Harry O’Callaghan: The poster stated Henshaw was developed by Connacht. You felt the need to correct him by saying he’s from Leinster. He was brought through the Connacht system, so in a rugby context, which is context of this, he is from Connacht. (Not Connaught).
You seem to struggle with that, it’s like Dougal and the cows. I recommend looking up the IRFU structure, rugby in Ireland, or even read a bit about Henshaw.
@Cathal Carr: I wouldn’t waste my breath.
As you noted. The poster said “Henshaw was developed by Connacht”, and he felt the need to “he’s from Leinster”, which has zero bearing on the original comment, or zero bearing in, as you say, “a rugby context”.
He might not know how rugby works, but it is more likely he’s just trolling by being pedantic. (If you posted “Jordi Murphy was developed by Leinster” I doubt he’d by quick in to say “again, he’s from Spain”, or “Caelan Doris was developed by Leinster” “again, he’s from Connacht”)
Interesting signing seems like a quality player. Must be bentys last season sad times
@hypebeast: Where’s Bent off to anyone know?
@Michael Murray: I’d say retirement
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: is Fardy retiring too after the trophy acceptance the last day ?
@Darren Mullins: Wouldnt shock me
@hypebeast: Sad if Benty is leaving, he’s been fantastic past few seasons with Porter and Furlong out or away on international duty. Incredibly humble and honest player
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: it looked that way with the trophy presentation tradition against Munster. He would be a monument loss!
@Darren Mullins: *al
@AJ McLaughlin: Benty???? Good lord, we are gone all premier league all of a shot, Giggsy, scholesy, Benty
@kieran: I blame Barnesy
@Darren Mullins: I’d say if Leinster win the Champions cup… Fardy, Bent and i wouldnt be surprised if Cronin & Toner do as well.
@kieran: don’t forget Fardy ;-)
@Michael Murray: rumours he’s going to be hurling with Dublin.
This is an example of why Leinster are one of the best teams. Because they know how to recruit players like this. He’s not the most amazing player and definitely not as good as his younger brother, Allan, who plays for Australia. But like Fardy, Gibson-Park, Lowe etc he’ll buy into the culture and get the job done. This is exactly the signing Munster needed as they badly need a few front row players. Jason Jenkins would’ve made more sense coming to Leinster because Toner & Fardy will most likely be retiring next season.
Great signing this. Porter to the loose now hopefully. Healy and Alaalatoa on the bench would be class.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: On paper that’s got a nice look to it. What about second row? We’ll look a bit light there if Fardy and Toner do go. Ryan and Baird presumably away on international duty. Do we need a signing there? Charlie Ryan was ahead of Baird at 20s but but not he’s yet to make his debut so hard to call if he’ll be a viable option.
@Carmine Lorenzo: think charlie ryan has been injured for a while and brian deeny is someone who probably wouldve made his debut by now but he tore his acl a while back. They also have mccarthy whos first year academy. But i agree that a second row signing wouldve been no harm
@Carmine Lorenzo: Id say 1 of Toner & Fardy will go. Probably Fardy who’ll be 37 in a 2 months. Toner at 34 pribably still has another season left in him.
@Carmine Lorenzo: Second row looks light for the short term alright. Possibly another acquisition needed to bridge the gap between the next crop coming through. Unsure about Charlie Ryan tbh, hes not got Bairds level of potential I dont think.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: regarding Healy, could this be a filler for him moving on? France?
@SPQH: if Bent is moving across I mean…
@SPQH: too early in the morning for me…. please ignore my previous comments, am talking jibberish
Wow
Interesting signing considering Irish qualified Oli Jager is on the Crusaders books and hasn’t seen consisten game time. Alaalatoa is a great signing but cant help but feel there’s another Irish team that could have used his services all year round, not just around the 6 Nations. Also recent rules mean, provinces aren’t allowed sign another non irish qualified tighthead.
@Billy Keenan: He would be the only non Irish qualified Tighthead for next season.
@Billy Keenan: He’s better than him. Jager hasn’t been great for the Crusaders. And he’s been with them for a few years now.
@Harry O’Callaghan: This signing has been rumoured a long time, wondered myself why not jager instead, apparently he has declared that he wants a all black jersey, so has no intrest in returning to Ireland. Well no interest yet, I’d guess in a year or two if he isn’t on the all blacks radar he may come back.
@Billy Keenan: Don’t think Jager has any interest in coming home at the moment. He recently got engaged too so he likely wants to stay put. Is he better than Alaalatoa? Not sure.
@Carmine Lorenzo: I’d say he is better due to age, like props can go to mid 30s and he is 24(might be wrong by a year or 2) but still quite young in the scheme of things and in possibly the best team/sett up in the world rn. Can understand why he didn’t want to leave but big miss imo
That makes sense with Bent lifting the trophy. Interesting signing and hopefully a good edition and experience for both parties.
I thought leinster had a great academy and didn’t need foreign recruits like Munster obviously I m wrong
@Tony Mcgrath: you’re right and wrong
@Tony Mcgrath: Leinster are literally just replacing one for another Munster have 3 alone in the same position Leinster are supplementing where as Munster buy these guys relatively young who are taking spots from younger Munster born players like Jenkins coming in stopping ahern whycherly etc
@Tony Mcgrath: Could you please tell me how many non Irish and non Munster born players play for Munster please?
@JJ Doyle: munster are losing cj, Billy Holland and Tommy o’donnell from the back 5 of the pack and have signed Jenkins. The thing about it is that if the irfu thought that young Irish qualified players are being squeezed out then nucifora would veto the signing. There’s no way leinster could have signed alaalatoa without nucifora agreeing to it.
@JJ Doyle: it’s complete nonsense to say Leinster are replacing one for one and totally ignore that Munster are losing three and bringing in one. Let alone that they’ll be down potentially another four or five during international windows. One coming in to cover all that yeah? No, the Munster players already in place will get more minutes next season that they got this season.
@JJ Doyle: except bent, cronin, abdaladze, vardy, doris gibson park, lowe, aren’t from leinstrr.
@Kevin O’brien: Abdaladze has been here since he was 5 lad. He’s not in the same category as Fardy, JGP, Lowe etc.
@Harry Fanning: it’s all very silly really but JJ did bring up location of birth first.
@Dave O Keeffe: Munster bought another second row to replace one ye will probably sign another back row could even be penny all im saying is ye have a lot of South Africans ye need them nothing wrong with it ye just need them more than Leinster do
@Kevin O’brien: bent retiring so could fardy vak has basically live in Ireland all his life poor to think otherwise Doris has been with Leinster his entire career never played for another province Munster have significantly more which is fine
@Tony Mcgrath: we didn’t need a tighthead but we had one poached last year. All 3 other sides have a leinster tighthead on their books. So we needed a player to play when our other 2 are playing for Ireland and Tom Clarkson gets a tiny bit older.
@Chris Mc: shame you don’t use the same logic with back rows and second rows down south
Looks a good signing. Versatilityand depth in the front row now with real quality too
Hopefully now we can stop hearing how Leinster go green while all the others import or rob, Bent, Fardy, Lowe , JGP etc.
That been said makes sense and he will be a very good addition to Leinster , will be available when the front liners are away and has a wealth of experience , nice age also for a tight head plus more importantly he can play , has a very nice skill set.
@Brian Power: In fairness Brian, Leinster would not have made this signing had Aungier and Salanoa not been pilfered. So they’re completely justified in doing so given they have plugged holes in other provinces that these provinces themselves don’t seem capable of filling.
@Carmine Lorenzo: hi Carmine, I have no problem with Leinster recruiting and bringing in a Samoan tight head , it’s a very good signing. In fact I have no issue with you bringing in any addition that makes the squad stronger, that’s smart management. Munster have a smaller playing population no way near the same school infrastructure so their needs are different.
No stones been slung here . Good luck to him.
@Carmine Lorenzo: pilfered??? Salanoa is Hawaiian!
There seems to be extraordinary inequality in funding. This may come from many sources sponsorship but this was built up over years with the help of IRFU.
It’s about time that the IRFU assessed all forms of funding and redirected more of their internal funding etc to the currently less well off provinces so they can build themselves up to a similar level and in turn give back more.
A bit like how the EU is supposed to function.
@Mentis Green: huh? Leinster haven’t brought in a new foreign signing in years and last year Munster brought in 2 RWC winners. And that while also owing a tonne of money to the IRFU over their stadium debt. I’m not sure this signing prices what you think it does…
Porter to loosehead, or replacement for Bent?
@Joe Vlogs: Both. Thomas Clarkson most likely takes on Bents role, Porters future is at loose with Healy ageing and Furlong being the best tight itw.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL:
This brings the Porter dilemma back and if Farrell trusts O’Toole to cover the bench then I see Porter switching back to loose head
Good for Leinster and Ireland
@Joe Vlogs: Porter won’t be loving back. Mike Ross even said it would be a stupid decision, considering he’s pushing Furlong for a place. It would completely derail his momentum and progress. Dooley, Ed Byrne & Milne will cover loosehead while Healy is in irish camp.
Makes me wonder if they’re planning on switching Porter back to loose head.
I have to admit when I first saw Lowe play for us I thought he was a show pony shows what I know. Hopefully this lad is as good
There is an Irish prop playing for Crusaders Oli Jager has no one asked him to come home. He looks good in Munster red!
@Eamon Carey: sign him then, Leinster needed someone experienced and not going to be called up to Irish squads to replace Bent. If Jager was coming home it’d be to be in Irish Squads only (not what Leinster need), otherwise he’s better off staying playing in NZ at the most successful Super Rugby club…
@Eamon Carey: they almost certainly did, but he’s stated publicly that he wants to stay and have a crack at play for NZ, an option not open to Alaalatoa.
Good signing, at 29 has plenty of experience to pass on to Vakh and TC. And for those with short memories Leinster didn’t sign Michael Bent, the IRFU got him over during a November series when Mike Ross (Leinster) was the only fit tight head we had. In 9 and a half years he’s won 6 pro12/14, a champions cup and the challenge cup. I think it was 19/20 when he played near 80 minutes and both sides of the scrum against Munster in the Aviva. Take a look at Leinsters NIQ signings in the last few years, Lowe and JGP both project players and Fardy brought in to help develop Ryan and Baird. I think Salanoa move was probably pushed by Nucifora to get him game time and Aungier they probably felt wasn’t up to the standard just yet.
Great signing but wouldn’t have been sanctioned at Ulster … just saying
@William Mills: because Ulster don’t have 2 Irish THs in their squad and didn’t lose 2 other THs late last season to other provinces…
@John Molloy: no you’re right they don’t but if they did it still wouldn’t have been sanctioned !!
Interesting signing, Leinster gone back into the market for a tight head prop, with the exception of Porter and Furlong they have always signed tight head props.
@Patrick O Connell: may be interesting but it is an absolute necessity of a signing no question. Porter and Furlong will be with Ireland plenty (and Furlong with Lions) and sounds like Bent is retiring. Salanoa and Aungier left, and Vakh only returning from a very lengthy absence so a signing was a must. Clarkson a cub still.
Leinster prior to Porter and Furlong didn’t seem to produce THs but what a pair to have recently developed. They don’t seem to produce SHs of major quality either, but same can said of other provinces. Munster don’t produce centres historically, and locks more recently. Ulster always an abundance of backs, but rarely top quality forwards.
@Patrick O Connell: you forgot about Moore. That’s 3 leinster bread irish international tightheads. We lost Aiinger to conacht and your mob poached Salano to well not play rugby.
LEINSTER supplier of tightheads to all the provences.
@Chris Mc: why do they leave if things are so great?
@Brian Power: People make mistakes. An agent talking in the ear usually helps.
@Chris Mc: great to see a front row of aalatoa, cronin and bent!!! Not one of them ever tasted dublin bay coddle!
@Kevin O’brien: shows how much you know about rugby when a)it says in the article Bent is likely moving on and b) you are playing two THs in your front row.
@Kevin O’brien: Bent will be gone at the end of this season so there goes that piss poor point. Also, Cronin at the moment is behind Kelleher and Tracy with Sheehan arguably ahead of him too. And Furlong and Porter will both be ahead of Alaalatoa. You need to try a LOT harder…