HAVING made his pro debut in 2003 and having won every title possible from English through to world, Lee Haskins has now announced his retirement.
We have had him in the gym since he was 14, so it has been a journey of 23 years. He says I have been like a dad to him. I believe him because he always did the opposite to what I told him! There would be times when I would bellow down the phone, “Where are you?” and he would respond, “I’m on my way to the gym.” He only lived two miles away and he would turn up three days later.
He would be the first to admit that he wished he had applied himself better in the early days, but we still had some glorious nights. People did not realise how hard he punched and numerous opponents said to me that it took three or four rounds to get used to the power. The shot he hit Ryosuke Iwasa with would have knocked a horse out.