JOURNEYMAN Andy Bishop has revealed what keeps winless journeyman boxing despite the mocking they receive.
The 38-year-old claims he thought he was set to be Tommy Fury’s next opponent – something Queensbury Promotions strongly deny – on June 5.
Once reports emerged over the alleged showdown, Fury’s bitter rival Jake Paul was quick to slam the quality of opponent for the Brit.
Bishop, a plant mechanic from Milnrow in Rochdale, quickly called out the outspoken YouTuber and challenged him to climb between the ropes.
But it did leave a question asked by many boxing fans – why bother?
Bishop admits money does come into it, but he explained how he is still learning himself with each fight in the sport he loves.
He told Sun Sport: “I only had one amateur and two white collar fights before turning pro at 37.
“So I’m up against massive challenges when I fight these lads with long amateur careers.
“But I’ve only been stopped twice. People kept saying I’d been knocked out twice but they were both poor stoppages and that was down to my lack of experience in not holding on.
“My trainer said to me from day one that I’d be learning on the job.
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“I was sparring good pros and doing OK so they turned me pro and I have been learning.
“I got stopped in my second and third fight and it was purely through a lack of experience but I’ve never been hurt.”
He added: “I enjoy the sport and it’s a massive challenge to be fighting far more experienced lads far better than my own ability.
“And it’s all about my 18-month-old daughter. All the money I bring in is for her and our house. She is my motivation.”
A spokesperson for Frank Warren stressed to Sun Sport: “Mr Bishop was never once considered as an opponent for Tommy Fury by Frank Warren or Queensberry.
“No one at Queensberry, or on behalf of Queensberry, has ever approached Mr Bishop or anyone connected to Mr Bishop about fighting on any of our forthcoming promotions.
“Any suggestion otherwise is an outright falsehood. Mr Bishop’s manager will confirm this to be the case.
“Queensberry have the exclusive rights to promote Tommy Fury and match his bouts.”
