Javan ‘SugarHill’ Steward has revealed some details of his relationship with Tyson Fury after the pair decided to forge a partnership in an attempt to defeat Deontay Wilder.
Fury left Ben Davison after a two-year link-up this week, severing ties in an amicable manner in a bid to step up his world title challenge.
The former unified world heavyweight champion is scheduled to face Wilder in a rematch of their epic 2018 battle. The pair will war again on February 22nd, most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Steward, nephew of the late, great Emanuel Steward and formerly working with Adonis Stevenson, steps into the breach having worked with Fury briefly when he was an English belt holder back in 2010.
Uncle Manny predicted Fury would be the dominant heavy of today. A statement Fury and Steward now hope to finalize by dethroning Wilder of his WBC strap.
Discussing how they hooked back up after all these years, Steward spoke exclusively to World Boxing News.
“We worked a lot, what 10 years ago now,” Steward told WBN. “Tyson was living with me and Emmanuel for about a month. He also spent time in training camp with Wladimir Klitschko in Austria. That’s when we worked. But we had a great relationship, a great training method and everything else.”
On who made the first move, Steward added: “Obviously, you know he called me. So he wants to be back doing some technical things like how Emanuel did it and myself.”
Asked about some of the finer details of preparations for the Wilder return, Steward replied: “From what I know it should be Las Vegas, that’s what he told me.
“He said he had a camp in Las Vegas already from what I know. He was with Ben Davison and now he’s not, Ben Davison is out of the team. So I guess that was the original training camp and that’s what I’m looking forward to.
“The whole thing should start in January. We’re going to start the new year off right,” he pointed out.
ANDY LEE
Fury’s cousin Andy Lee, who also trained with Manny Steward back in the day, could have some involvement, according to Steward.
“We don’t know how yet. And we don’t know yet to what extent, but he’ll be someway involved. Andy has a busy schedule himself so we will work it out,” concluded the Kronk trainer.
Possessing an old school mentality when it comes to coaching, it will be interesting to see how Fury reacts to a complete change-up from Davison’s new age methods.
Almost being taken out by Wilder in the twelfth round last time out, Fury will want to close the gaps in order to see out what should be a wide points win if he can avoid being dropped again.
Wilder vs Fury II is the classic ‘boxer vs puncher’ match-up. It could break modern Pay-Per-View records for a heavyweight contest if promoter Bob Arum’s prediction comes true early next year.
An official announcement on the rematch is expected before Christmas.
