Andrew Tate is polarising, charismatic and misogynistic in equal measure, leaving many bewildered as to who the man behind the facade really is. But now, his former kickboxing sponsor has come forward to tell his story of what it was like to work hand-in-hand with one of the most controversial characters on the planet.
In a career that saw him win three titles in ISKA and a championship belt in Enfusion, Tate proved his fighting spirit inside the ring. However, his journey wouldn’t have been the same without the help of Dan Knight — the owner of Sidekick Boxing.
With a spring in his step, a bushy-tailed Knight entered the fight sports world with a point to prove. Having observed how other brands went about their business, he felt the overwhelming need to stand out, and what better way to do that than to approach Tate?
Noticing his peculiar personality, the businessman contacted the scrapper, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The pair embarked on a venture that saw Tate coming up with all sorts of ways to promote Sidekick, including kicking straight through a baseball bat.
Speaking exclusively to SPORF, Knight reminisced: “When I started the brand, I always wanted to be different. I was prepared to take risks. I was quite creative with my ideas. Andrew was very brave and outspoken. We used to talk and brainstorm together and put our thoughts out there. We would come up with some excellent marketing tactics. And Tate could be the face of them.”
How good a Kickboxer was Andrew Tate?
While Tate had an illustrious career, many belittle his achievements based on the fact that he never made it to K1 or Glory, but Knight thinks those criticisms are unwarranted.
He asserted: “He was phenomenal. He was a great fighter. People that slate his record have probably never done the sport in their life. It’s easy to say, ‘He wasn’t a genuine champion’, but he was only fighting the people put in front of him. And they were very credible opponents.
“He was taking on British level champions as a teenager. I remember him fighting Scott Gibson. He was only 17 at the time, and Gibson was 25, in the prime of his career. He was taking big fights. Then he progressed to an international level. No one in the UK could touch him. He went global.”
Andrew Tate enters Big Brother
Throughout his life, the influencer has done everything in his power to get famous, stopping at nothing to get people to notice him. Thus, an attempt to break into the world of reality TV was almost a given.
Knight claimed: “I was quite shocked to hear he was going on Big Brother, but at the same time, I wasn’t. He wanted to get famous, And I think he knew that was a great way to get wealth, and that was all the way back then.”
Knight continued: “With Tate, I think he wants to be the best at anything he does. He realised that the money wasn’t gonna come. Once you’re champion and the cash is not coming in, I think you need to explore different avenues. I think he knew getting famous was definitely an in. He did what he had to do.”
The fighter actually wanted to wear a Sidekick branded shirt onto the show. Alas, he wasn’t allowed. And that may have been for the best, as Tate was removed after a harrowing video came to light.
The clip showed Tate whipping a female with a belt while she begged him to stop.
While he claims that he was merely engaging in role-play, the disturbing clip was enough for the broadcaster to act.
How did Andrew Tate moving to Romania to start a webcam business impact Sidekick Boxing?
In a controversial move, the sportsman left the UK in favour of Romania to delve deeper into the seedy world of webcamming. And unsurprisingly, Knight’s business took a hit.
The entrepreneur explained: “It did have an impact for me. I didn’t care that he worked in webcamming. If it’s legal and not doing any harm, then it’s just another line of work. But it’s not for me, sports brands and the sex industry don’t collaborate too well.”
At this point, Tate still didn’t have the fame his ego required. Subsequently, he decided to take things up a notch and started releasing outrageous videos online, in which he’d give his over-the-top opinions on a range of topics. And after several years of trying, he exploded into the stratosphere.
Andrew Tate is one of the biggest names on Earth
The kickboxing star is now one of the most famous men on Earth, and Knight isn’t surprised.
He said: “Tate has always been outspoken. People talk about misogyny, but he talks about men too. I think Tate has had an opinion about pretty much anything. But look at what he’s done with men in recent years; he’s changed it into a positive aspect to try and encourage them to be better.
“With the women’s situation, it depends on how deep you want to take it. With some of the stuff, it’s not what he says; it’s just how he says it. He knows how to rev people up, So whether he believes it or not, I don’t know. The reason why he created this huge explosion is because of the shock factor.”
And from Knight’s perspective, Tate is a very different man off-camera.
He confessed: “If you look at him over the years, he was quite cocky and arrogant. But behind the scenes, to me, he was a nice guy. He’s funny; he’s relaxed; he’s not confrontational.
“The arrogance he’s put online, he’s done it to give that shock factor. I think he’ll do a lot to help anyone.”
Andrew Tate’s rise to fame has worked wonders for Sidekick Boxing
In a testament to his determination, Knight has worked tirelessly to ensure that his business offers the best products for the athletes who wear them. And now, more sportsmen than ever are slipping on his gloves. And it’s all thanks to Tate.
The brand owner laughed: “The sort of level of exposure it’s getting would cost hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of advertising. I’m going to be on a mainstream documentary on Channel 4. I’ve been on YouTube videos getting millions of views every day. There are articles that are getting thousands of views. So, it’s exploded from that side of it. I can’t believe where it’s come from, if I’m honest. It’s all from stuff we did ten years ago.”
Will Andrew Tate fight again?
Back in 2010, after a trip to Thailand, Knight’s dad casually mentioned how cheap gloves were out there. And in that moment, his son’s life changed forever. The young money-maker ran with the plan of importing and selling the products.
13 years on, the idea has delivered ten-fold.
But the story isn’t completely finished yet, as Tate could return for one last dance, which would give his former partner an astronomical platform.
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Speaking on the possibility of another bout, Knight claimed: “Since he’s blown up so much, I think that would be brilliant, wouldn’t it? Especially if it was someone like Logan Paul or Jake Paul. It’d definitely be one to watch, wouldn’t it?
“Let’s face it; I want to see him come back. But Tate’s 36. By the time this allegation stuff gets sorted, he could be knocking on 40.”
The accusations in question regard human trafficking, for which a verdict has not yet been decided.
The case is one of the most high-profile in recent memory, with the public split down the middle as to whether he’s guilty or not.
With so much more to come, Knight’s remarkable tale from paint sprayer to an innovator on the kickboxing scene is only just beginning.
You can learn more about the man behind the brand here.
Featured Image Credit: Sidekick Boxing
