Andrew Tate has remained one of the most talked-about personalities in the fight world, not just for his online presence, but for his history as a kickboxer and his attempts to re-enter combat sports.
While his public image is loud and controversial, fighters who have trained with him provide a different, more grounded look at what he is like inside the gym.
One of the most interesting accounts comes from UFC featherweight contender Lerone Murphy, who shared what it felt like to train and spar with Tate behind closed doors.
His description paints a picture of a fighter who still holds on to the mentality that once carried him to multiple kickboxing titles.
This article breaks down those insights, evaluates Tate’s fighting background, discusses how well his skills translate to modern combat sports, and examines the skepticism surrounding his combat abilities today.
The purpose is to give readers a clear, organized, and factual breakdown of what Andrew Tate is actually like as a fighter beyond online hype.
Andrew Tate in the Gym: Serious, Intense, and Competitive
According to fighters who have trained with him, Andrew Tate treats sparring like real work.
There’s no acting tough for the cameras, no half-hearted drilling, and definitely no friendly “light rounds.”
Murphy described Tate as someone who trains hard, pushes intensity, and doesn’t let a session slip into casual mode.
This approach mirrors the style he used in his kickboxing days: aggressive, purposeful, and focused.
Key impressions from fighters:
- He doesn’t play around in sparring. Sessions are structured and strict.
- He expects discipline. No ego-inflated antics, just training.
- He uses his size and strength. Tate is a large, strong athlete and uses that advantage.
- He shows experience. Years of striking have given him sharp timing and awareness.
But with all of this, the question many ask is: Does this level of intensity actually mean Tate can compete in boxing or MMA today?
To answer that, we need to look at what he accomplished and what he didn’t in his fighting years.
Tate’s Kickboxing Background: Strengths, Titles, and Real Experience
Andrew Tate started training in the mid-2000s and rose quickly through the kickboxing scene.
His record speaks to real time spent in the ring: dozens of fights, knockout wins, and several championship belts.
What he achieved:
- Multiple world titles under various organizations.
- European and national championships across different rule sets.
- A professional record with far more wins than losses.
- A signature aggressive, striking-first style, which earned him the nickname “King Cobra.”
It is important to recognize that Tate wasn’t just a hobby fighter. He competed in legitimate promotions, fought regularly, and developed strong striking fundamentals.
However, critics often highlight that his titles came from organizations that don’t hold the same global reputation as the biggest kickboxing promotions.
While his résumé is solid, it isn’t considered elite compared to the absolute top-tier kickboxers of that era.
This leads to the biggest debate around Tate’s fighting ability today.
Can Kickboxing Skills Transfer to Boxing or MMA?
Kickboxing and boxing look similar to the casual fan, but for professional fighters, they are almost completely different sports.
The stance is different, the defense is different, and the strategy revolves around entirely different patterns.
What changes when moving from kickboxing to boxing?
- No kicks: Tate relied heavily on leg strikes and long-range setups in kickboxing.
- Closer stance: Boxing forces a tighter, squared stance, which affects footwork.
- Different defense: You no longer defend against kicks and knees, only hands.
- Pacing: Boxing requires sustained punching output, which is a unique form of conditioning.
MMA is even more distant:
- Wrestling changes everything.
- Ground fighting becomes a major factor.
- Kicks exist, but looks completely different from kickboxing rules.
This is why many professionals argue that Tate’s old experience does not automatically place him on the same level as modern MMA fighters or professional boxers.
The Reputation Gap: Strong Past, Uncertain Present
When fighters like Lerone Murphy praise Tate’s intensity and toughness in the gym, they’re speaking about his mindset and striking experience not necessarily claiming he can beat high-level MMA fighters or boxers today.
In fact, several things complicate Tate’s ability to enter boxing or MMA at a high level:
1. Age Factor
Tate is no longer young for combat sports. While he stays in good shape, reaction time and mobility inevitably change.
2. Rule Set Adaptation
Switching from kickboxing to pure boxing is notoriously challenging. Even elite kickboxers struggle with the transition.
3. Quality of Competition
Most of Tate’s kickboxing opponents were solid but not world-class heavy hitters. That makes it difficult to compare his past success with today’s competition.
4. Modern Fight Evolution
Combat sports evolve fast. Fighters today train in highly specialized ways from childhood — something Tate did not have for boxing or MMA.
Because of these points, MMA fans and boxing fans often remain split on whether Tate could succeed in the current competitive environment.
The Positives: What Tate Still Brings to the Table
Even if Tate isn’t expected to dominate elite fighters today, he still brings several advantages that keep him relevant:
Experience
Decades of striking cannot be replicated. Tate has real technical instincts.
Physical Strength
At over 6 feet tall with a strong frame, he’s physically imposing.
Fight IQ
He understands range, timing, setups, and how to use pressure.
Mental Toughness
Tate has always shown a fighter’s mentality — confident, composed, and competitive.
Public Influence
Whether fans love him or hate him, he draws attention. This alone makes him valuable in today’s entertainment-driven fight market.
These strengths explain why sparring with Tate isn’t easy for newcomers and why fighters like Murphy acknowledge the seriousness he brings to training.
The Criticism: Why Many Still Doubt His Ceiling
Despite the strengths, skepticism surrounding Tate’s fighting ability continues for several reasons:
His kickboxing titles are not from top global organizations
While legitimate, they were not from the highest-reputation circuits.
He has not competed in top-level boxing or MMA
Speculation remains just speculation.
His style may not translate to boxing at all
Kickboxers often struggle significantly in pure boxing.
He has been away from professional fighting for a long time
Combat sports are unforgiving of long layoffs.
Online hype creates unrealistic expectations
Fans may overrate him due to his personality, not his recent athletic record.
This balance between strengths and concerns is what makes Tate such a polarizing figure in modern combat sports.
Why Training Stories Matter
Accounts from fighters who have sparred with Tate give us rare, real insights into what his current abilities look like. They matter for three big reasons:
1. They show he is still training for real
Not faking pad work, not staging drills, actually sparring with professionals.
2. They show he takes preparation seriously
The intensity and structure of his sessions reflect an athlete who respects training.
3. They separate reality from online perception
Online, Tate is often seen as exaggerated, either superhuman or completely overrated.
These accounts show a more accurate picture: a skilled former fighter who is still dangerous, but not necessarily someone who can walk into elite-level MMA or boxing today.
What Could the Future Hold for Andrew Tate in Combat Sports?
Given everything we know, here are the most realistic directions Tate’s fight future could take:
1. Exhibition or Influencer Boxing
This is the most likely path. Tate has name value, a striking background, and enough skill to make these bouts competitive.
2. A Return Fight in Kickboxing
This is possible but less likely due to modern competition levels and his long layoff.
3. Training and content creation without actual competition
He may simply continue sparring with high-level fighters while staying active online.
4. A one-off fight against a notable figure
Someone like a retired fighter, an influencer, or a crossover athlete.
An actual MMA run is the least realistic option due to grappling demands and the complexity of today’s MMA landscape.
Final Thoughts: The Real Andrew Tate in the Ring
When fighters describe Andrew Tate in training, they speak about intensity, seriousness, discipline, and experience.
Behind the online personality is a man who spent years fighting and hasn’t forgotten the fundamentals.
But that doesn’t automatically translate to dominating today’s high-level fighters. Tate’s skills, while real, belong to a different era and a different set of rules.
He is talented, tough, and experienced, but facing top professional boxers or MMA fighters today would be a steep challenge.
The truth sits in the middle:
- He is not the unstoppable powerhouse some fans imagine, but
- He is far from the unskilled fraud critics claim.
He is a former world-level kickboxer with real ability, still capable of challenging fighters in the gym, still carrying the mindset of a competitor, and still able to create storylines that keep the combat-sports world watching.
Whether he fights again or stays focused on training and content, Andrew Tate remains a compelling figure, and accounts from fighters who have trained with him show that, inside the gym, the seriousness is real.
Ashish Lavania is a dedicated combat sports analyst and the mind behind some of the most detailed breakdowns in modern fight media. Specializing in UFC, MMA, and boxing analysis, Ashish combines deep technical knowledge with a fan-first approach, delivering insights that are easy to understand yet backed by real fighting IQ.