There is a magic to amateur boxing. Bouts are closely matched and fiercely contested. The tournament format of three three-minute rounds lends itself to quick, all-action clashes, with a premium placed on speed and skill, not just knockout power.
You never know who you’re going to see at one of these events, or who’s going to walk through the door of an amateur gym.
It could be a youngster who’s there to learn the fundamentals, get fit and move on. It could be a future star. It could be a heavyweight champion of the world.
That happened to Steve Egan 22 years ago. Egan was a coach at his father’s club and when a certain Tyson Fury arrived he had a realisation.
“Within a minute or two, I said: ‘Dad, heavyweight champion of the world,'” Egan recalled.
“I said: ‘Dad, there’s something about that lad.’ He was 6ft 4in, 14 and 14 stone. Only a gangly big kid, he wasn’t built or anything but a big lad. Knees bending inwards like he does. I just knew.”
Egan had already taken amateurs without natural gifts to a good level, and he was convinced the young Fury could go far.
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Tyson Fury re-affirms his position of retirement questioning why he would wish to return with views of Lake Como. Credit Instagram: @TysonFury
“What I’d done with an ordinary kid, when Tyson walked in, I pictured me doing what I’d done with him. I just thought yeah, heavyweight champion of the world. It was two years before he could fight. He was too big – he couldn’t get a match. No one would box him,” Egan told Sky Sports.
“You can only give a year in age and there was no one that big around. He had to jump in and fight anyone, like fighting David Price in his eighth fight, David Price with a Commonwealth [Games] gold medal in his back pocket, he’d just won it.”
Fury took on Price, the future Olympic medallist, in the regional stage of the national ABA championships, after Fury had boxed for England in the World Junior championships, despite his limited competitive experience.
Having reached the semi-finals, Fury was unlucky not to go further in the World Juniors. Christian Hammer, whom Fury would beat as a professional, won that championship.
“England were taking him for experience, they said. Me and Tyson went: ‘No, we’re going to win it. We’re not going for experience, we’re going to win this gold,'” Egan said.
“Tyson would have schooled Hammer like he did as a pro. It’s a shame, he should have got World gold with seven bouts. But he didn’t.
“He came back and had to fight David Price, at just 18 and seven fights. It was a big fight against David Price.”
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Promoter Eddie Hearn says this is the moment to make a fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury happen
There was a buzz about Fury when he turned professional all the way back in 2008. He has been stunningly successful, winning every major title at different points in his career, beating Wladimir Klitschko and Deontay Wilder (twice), before boxing Oleksandr Usyk for the first undisputed heavyweight world championship in 25 years in 2024.
“Anyone can polish a diamond – I’ve already made that diamond.” Egan might be speaking for every amateur coach when he says that.
“We know them like they’re our sons, do you know what I mean? We’ve known them from day one,” he said.
“[With Fury] two years before he had a fight and then five years while he was boxing, going all round the world with him.”
After Usyk had beaten him on two close points decisions, Fury announced his retirement. Fury though has fuelled speculation that he will come back, only to play that down more recently.
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Tyson Fury felt robbed after losing to Oleksandr Usyk back in December. Did the defeat lead to him announcing his retirement yet again?
Egan does believe Fury could win a third bout against Usyk, if he reverts to the style that made him so effective at the start of his career.
“He boxed the way I taught him against Dillian Whyte. Moving and jabbing and I think that’s his best. And I think that Tyson beats Usyk,” Egan said.
“Machine gun jab and the reflexes and the hardly getting hit and the footwork and the punches in bunches, nice combos, fast combos and moving, that’s Tyson for me. That’s your best Tyson Fury.”
Egan had been in camp with Fury for that undisputed title clash and did see a missed opportunity.
“When he caught him with that uppercut in the first fight, he should have stepped to him, bam, bam, straight after him. But he didn’t. He threw the uppercut and started clowning, showboating. Really he should have done uppercut, bang, half stagger him, step in, right, left-right, done,” Egan said.
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Oleksandr Usyk used his scintillating boxing skills to beat Tyson Fury on the judges’ scorecards and retain his heavyweight world titles
“After the first two [rounds], Tyson took over, and he was making it look easy. But then he got in his own head thinking it is easy, I’m strolling this and Usyk did his usual down the back straight, took it back.”
Jimmy Egan’s, the club founded by Steve’s father, celebrated its 45th anniversary in January. Fury might be its most famous alumnus, but a host of young people in Wythenshawe have benefited from training there over the years.
“It might have been thousands, because it’s hundreds who have actually boxed. We’ve got 45 carded boxers now, that’s just one season. Imagine over 45 years,” Egan said.
Blockbuster Fury-McDaid final
A good squad of Jimmy Egan’s boxers will be in action in the Manchester Box Cup, live on Sky Sports‘ digital platforms on Sunday. Among them Kieran McDaid and Lewis Cocksey are ones to watch.
“We’ve got Lewis Cocksey, who’s under 48kgs, he got beat in the semi-finals of the Elites, in a cracking fight [against Billy Macey, one of the best boxers of the tournament]. No disgrace losing to him in a close semi-final. We’ve got Kieran McDaid, double national champion. He had his 103rd fight on our show, not bad for someone who’s 20, first one in our gym ever to have over a hundred fights,” Egan said.
“A brilliant mover, he’s a mover but he can get stuck in as well. He’s a nice mover. Stylish, just moves angles and fast.
“He will get stuck in as well, especially if you rile him… He’s going to turn professional.”
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Speaking on Toe2Toe, James Dean Fury and Peter Fury discuss the family boxing style and keeping training in the family
With a blistering body shot knockout in the semi-final, McDaid has set up a blockbuster 80kgs final at the Box Cup against none other than James Dean Fury, Tyson’s cousin, on Sunday.
James Dean Fury looked composed and busy in his semi-final as he marshalled Lions’ Jamie Broom for a fine win of his own in the other semi-final.
The tournament is chance for amateur clubs from the region, from across the country and overseas to showcase their rising stars. It might not turn out a future Tyson Fury. But you never know…
Watch the Manchester Box Cup live on Sky Sports‘ digital platforms from 9.50am on Sunday
