Uhrichsville boxer looking forward to 2025
Andre Donovan practices at T-County Boxing Academy in New Philadelphia.
For professional boxer Andre “Sugar Dre” Donovan of Uhrichsville, 2024 was his most successful year yet. He had fights in January, April, August and October and won all four. He maintains a record of 10-2 and currently holds sixth place nationally in the pro super flyweight division.
Donovan’s first pro match was in October 2021, and he is on his way up. One boxing opponent was undefeated prior to his match with Donovan.
“Two people I’ve actually defeated have been rising prospects and on their way to getting a bigger name fight. I was supposed to be their step-up fight, and I actually upset them. I messed up their trajectory. Great for me, not so great for them,” Donovan said recently in an interview at the T-County Boxing Academy in New Philadelphia, where he trains.
His coach Lee Kreisher was impressed.
“Every fight he had this year was a dog. Every time he got in the ring, it was a step-up fight,” Kreisher said.
Other good things happened this year too. Donovan was featured on Big Time Sports Ohio and appeared along with Mark “The Hammer” Coleman at Shenanigans in Dover. Coleman is a UFC heavyweight champ, OSU wrestling champ and Olympic wrestler.
At 27 years old, Donovan feels he is in his prime physically and ready for some big goals in 2025. Those include winning a title, fighting in Las Vegas and fighting overseas. He’d also like to fight on DAZN, a worldwide live sports streaming service.
Donovan is focusing more on the mindset it takes to box and win.
“I feel like things are making more sense now in boxing. It used to just be about the physical part and not so much the mental,” Donovan said. “And now things are slowing down for me, and I can see things better. It’s not so much that I’m relying on my physical attributes as much as I am what coach Lee has been teaching me.”
At 5 foot, 3 inches and fighting in the super flyweight 115-pound class, Donovan often finds his opponents are taller. It hasn’t stopped him, even though he has to work harder.
“That’s what we train for. That’s the way coach dials my punches in to hit above my head,” Donovan said. “It’s a lot of like footwork. Obviously, my legs would be shorter than theirs. For what they have to do, like taking one step, I have to take two. So I literally have to be two steps ahead in order to hit them.”
Donovan trains year round, but when he has a fight scheduled, he’ll train harder for four to six weeks before the match.
“When we’re in fight camp, it’s Monday through Friday,” Donovan said. “My solo sessions last about one to two hours, and then normal practice will last about two to three hours.”
Despite all that training, Donovan still holds down a 40-hour-a-week job in a foundry.
“I actually enjoy work,” Donovan said.
He also has three children: Kyson, 8; Kimani, 2; and Andre Jr., 1. The youngest is clearly taking a liking to the sport.
“My 1-year-old is very interested in it. Every time he steps in the gym, he runs straight to the gloves, and he has those on most of the time,” Donovan said.
Since turning pro, Donovan has traveled as far as Tennessee and Washington, D.C. for matches. He hopes to fight in at least five matches in 2025 but would be happy with more. Sponsors help cover the costs of his uniforms and travel, and new sponsors are welcome.
He enjoys working with Kreisher and admires his dedication.
“At times he seems like he’s more invested in this than we are. He’s very committed and loyal. He’s a great example that if you want it, you’ll go do it, and sacrifice is very important,” Donovan said.
As much as Kreisher instills in his boxers, he sees drive, determination and relentlessness in Donovan, which are things he can’t teach.
Boxing takes work, day in and day out, no matter what else life is dishing out.
“It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t stop, and the one that lets it stop, you’ll see how far they’ll go,” Kreisher said. “Really, it is how long can you maintain this, the dedication, the drive, because life happens. It’s not like champs go off somewhere else in the world for months and close off the world and focus on their fight. Everybody’s got a dream, and a dream gets tested when the lights get shut off.”
Donovan wishes his fans a happy New Year, and he is looking forward to thanking them with more wins in 2025.