Jailed Stefy Bull still in fighters’ corner

Trainer Jason Cunningham revealed his Doncaster friend, whose real name is Andrew Bulcroft, is determined to try and help from "behind a prison door."

Cunningham said many people had revelled in Bull's conviction for conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Others have remained supportive of him - Sheffield's Ryan Rhodes believes Bull's not guilty plea to be a genuine one.

The 48-year-old will be sentenced on August 26 alongside his co-defendant Benjamin Williams.

Cunningham, from Woodlands, is a former British and European champion, and like all the other boxers that Bull helped, is not associated with any wrongdoing.

He posted: "Andrew will be punished and he has a long road ahead of him. People make mistakes in life, nobody is perfect.

"A lot of opinions flying around, which people are entitled to, a lot of discredit, and a lot of love for him as a person.

"Again, each to their own, you are allowed to dislike someone for whatever reason," said Cunningham.

"Maybe some people could have given his wife and daughters a thought, though, before going in on him while he’s down.

"They’re going through a tough time without someone getting so much enjoyment from his downfall."

Cunningham, 35, said he himself would not: "Have achieved what I did in my career and we’ve always had a very close relationship.

"We’re from pit villages, council estates and one of Doncaster’s strong points is the quality of the boxing a very small city has produced.

"A lot of credit has to be given to Andrew, his CV is very strong both as a manager and a trainer; he won everyone of those titles with me and was always there for me as a close friend.

"After I retired we then teamed up in the gym to help the other pros in their careers something we’ve done a damn good job of so far.

"Success breeds success and the good times will continue I’ll make sure of that for him."

In a message for the online trolls, he added: "For the haters you can’t teach what you don’t know and one thing we both have is bags of experience both good and bad.

"We still communicate daily and he’s still giving the best advice for his fighters even now behind a prison door.

"He’s not gaining anything from that he’s doing it out of the love he has for the boxers.

"I will always appreciate everything he’s done for me including special lifelong memories that stay with us forever.

"For now he’s having a bit of a break (laughing emoji) so more champions will be produced for him."

Family members and others in the boxing community, like Jimmy Joe Flint and Callum Beardow, have indicated their support on line, following similar thoughts from Conner Kelsall and Gavin McDonnell.

Lee Connelly offered his view: "Loads of people out there love to see someone fall and then kick them while they are down.

"I think he’s a good guy from all the times I've spoken to him and boxed on his shows."

Harry Matthews, boxer and trainer, said: "Stefy is a good man I hope the judge goes easy on him.

"He’s done a lot for fighters and is a good soul, he just made a mistake."

Veteran Rick Manners said Bull "was always ok with me on the boxing circuit a nice fair and pleasant guy in all my interactions with him everyone makes mistakes let’s not define him by this one and let’s have some compassion for his family as they must be going through a lot mentally as families do in situations such as these.

"My personal message to them stay strong the pain, the anxiety, the feelings you're going through right now will subside in time and life goes on."

In Sheffield, trainer Dom Ingle struck a different note.

He said it was a head-scratcher why Bull would "go down that route."

"It is hard making a living in boxing, he has boxed.. promoted successfully, trained people, managed people, and had some decent high-level fighters."

Most of the money in the sport went to boxers and promoters, he said.

"Obviously, he'd had some money through drugs and he's probably kind of passed it off as boxing (revenue.)"

Ingle said some people were revelling in his downfall.

"That's just human nature," he said.