Nothing has been left to chance. Deep in the sun-kissed Coachella Valley of California, a master craftsman has spent the past 15 years meticulously carving away at what he hopes will be his masterpiece. Every scratch must be polished until it sparkles, each dent pinpointed until the imperfection shines. Yet this is no lifeless sculpture; his is a construction of sinew and sweat. This is trainer Bobby Lee’s son, his pride and joy. And his name is Brandun Lee.
“When I first started boxing, my father had me only using my left hand for around a year and a half,” recalls 21-year-old Brandun. “Once I got the left hand down then we got the right hand down. It’s like putting a puzzle together, one piece at a time. Once that one piece is solid, then we move onto the next piece.”
Preparation may have been painstaking from day one, but for Lee and father/trainer Bobby their fastidious methods swiftly proved effective. Lee’s left fist had been honed to such a degree that at age eight he won his first tournament one-handed. Four junior Golden Gloves championships, and an outstanding amateur record of 181-9, followed. It all looked so easy. But looks can be deceiving.
“I started boxing at around six years old. I just wanted to be like my older brother, he was my role model. But every time I sparred for the first six months I would always cry,” recalled Lee. “I don’t think I liked getting hit at that time! But even though I would cry, I still wanted to go out there and go another round. There was just a part of me that said, ‘You can’t quit. You can’t show people you’re weak’.
Lee thinks back to that time and what kept him from surrendering to the uncompromising demands of the noble art.
“I think it has to be genetic. My father is Korean and my mother’s Mexican. So the boxing came from my mother’s side,” he said. “Mexican fighters are ruthless and Korean fighters fight to the death! I definitely feel like I use it to my advantage. But I was raised tough. Let’s just say my parents didn’t believe in ‘time out’! They were very old school.”
Photo: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime.
Nature or nurture, the youngster’s impressive displays were certainly turning heads, even amongst the cream of the professional ranks. At age 14, he got a call from Timothy Bradley’s team asking him for help with sparring as he prepared for the great Juan Manuel Marquez.
“I was getting ready for the junior Olympics. It was just up the road so we went. And I was surprised that I was able to hold my own with a top level professional like Tim Bradley,” he said. “To spar a world champion, I was happy. It did add to my confidence level. Because at the end of the day confidence is everything when it comes to boxing.”
For Lee, the mental preparation required to compete at an elite level is a major priority. He thinks intently about those huge talents who have gone before him, blessed with a natural gift for the sport but wracked by self-doubt and consequently never able to achieve their dreams. The repetition he and his father drill into their daily training schedule is all part of feeding into a psyche of invincibility. Small incremental adjustments each day, reproduced again and again until it feels perfect.
“The mental side is a big part of it. When I first started boxing I would spar four days out seven every week for hours. Round after round after round,” said Lee. “Not hard work, just moving around, working on defence, left hand only. Once you have a solid type of offence then you start fighting the fighter. You start beating these guys, and then the top level guys, that’s when the confidence really starts to come in and the fighter really starts to believe in himself.”
Photo: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime.
Ironically, the place where Lee and his father leave their precise and regimented blueprint behind is when Brandun steps through the ropes on fight night. He enthuses about the likes of Pernell Whitaker, James Toney and Felix Trinidad, technicians who personified the calm fluidity he and his team feel is a vital ingredient.
“My mind is free. My mind is clear. I’m not thinking about what he’s going to do, or what I’m going to do. I’m just in there. No fear,” said Lee. “I do have a game plan, but the moment I step into the ring you have to be able to change that right away if something’s not working. You have to be able to adapt. Outside of the ring, I am the calmest person in the whole world. Super laid back, very easy going, very simple person. But when it comes to boxing, I’m very precise and very complex, very explosive. Just a totally different person.”
His original goal had been to compete at the 2020 Olympics, but when the announcement came that headgear would be removed for amateurs Lee figured, “I might as well get paid for it” and turned pro, making his debut at the tender age of 17. Since then, the journey’s been nothing short of superb, winning all 19 of his fights so far and knocking out 17 opponents along the way. Peers such as Devin Haney and Jaron Ennis have been quick to publicly declare him a future champion, something Lee himself already has planned out in his mind.
“I’m very explosive, very elusive. My defence is phenomenal. My power is pretty good. I have everything planned out. By the end of next year, early 2022, I would like a world title,” he said.
destined to become a world champion. Photo: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime.
The Californian super-lightweight’s next test comes on Wednesday night in a ShoBox encounter against Jimmy Williams (16-3-2, 5 KOs & 1 NC). Thus far, he’s yet to be stretched out of his comfort zone and Lee is predicting another emphatic display as he looks to turn more heads and attract new fans.
“My father has always told me from a young age that the quiet one doesn’t get fed,” said Lee. “So if you want something, you go grab it. You’ve got to work for it. So that’s exactly what I’m doing. I’m working for my spot. My limelight. My shine.”
Lee-Williams will be broadcast live in the US on Showtime this Wednesday, October 7 at 9 pm ET/PT.
Photo: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime.
Main photo and all images: Stephanie Trapp/Showtime.