Andy Lee to Fight on 2/9 in Ireland

[Boxing Asylum]

Middleweight contender Andy Lee will face Anthony Fitzgerald on an emotional return to Ireland at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena on February 9. Lee returned to the UK from America to train with Adam Booth following the death of Emanuel Steward in October and the Fitzgerald bout will be Lee’s first fight this side of the Atlantic since 2010.

The 28 year old suffered a seventh-round stoppage when he challenged Julio Cesar Chavez Jr for the WBC middleweight title in June and that defeat prompted Lee to consider his options. “It is a new start for me over here,” he explained. “I was in America for a long time. I fought for a World title but it didn’t work out so I felt I needed a fresh start and for me to come back here and train with Adam has been a fresh start. If I had stayed over there I would have stayed in the same place physically, and metaphorically in my career as well. When you fight for world titles and don’t succeed you have to ask yourself why you didn’t succeed and you have to evaluate things. I felt like I had gone as far as I could in Detroit and the only way forward was to change things.

“It was tough losing Emanuel. I trained with Emanuel, lived with him and was very close with him. Before he was sick I had already made my mind up to maybe try with a new trainer. Unfortunately he was sick and passed away and that was a tough loss for me and everybody who was close to him.

“To get back to world title fights I have to win fights, it is as simple as that. We need one or two fights and then maybe fight one of the best lads from the British scene and that will put me right back in the mix and in touch of a title. I am not a million miles away, three or four fights and I am back in contention.”

The bumper Belfast bill is headlined by Carl Frampton’s shot at the European super bantamweight title against Kiko Martinez and also includes Martin Lindsay’s British and Commonwealth featherweight title challenge against Lee Selby.

[King Fantom]

Andy Lee is a good little fighter. If he plan is to stay in the UK and fight Euro level guys, he'll be very successful.

[glasgow]

who is this press release fella Its NORTHERN Ireland

Gots me my tickets yesterday

[BDUB]

who is this press release fella Its NORTHERN Ireland

Gots me my tickets yesterday

Fantom.

[King Fantom]

Huh?

[djt117]

Andy Lee is a good little fighter. If he plan is to stay in the UK and fight Euro level guys, he'll be very successful.

I think he's more than good enough to hold a strap and defend against at least some world-level guys. He avenged his surprise loss to Vera easily, almost pitched a shutout en route to a wide UD.

Then he ran into the hugest middleweight, size-wise, perhaps in the entire history of the division -- a guy who rehydrates to 180+ lbs.

Lee was ahead on all 3 scorecards before Chavez Jr. hurt him, pinned him against the ropes, and the Referee stepped in to call a halt to the contest for his safety. Truthfully, Chavez Jr. & Lee fought again 2 more times (hypothetically speaking, of course, since we know that will never happen), I could see a world in which Andy Lee takes at least 1 of those 3 bouts. He'd need to put on a little size though, probably. Chavez chin is like granite but I could see Lee maybe hurting him to the body.

Lee's only 28. I don't think he needs to be "relegated" to permanent Euro-level standing. In fact, if he can string together a couple of wins -- particularly if he can get one real good quality win in there before 2013 is out, I guarantee you the following happens:

DiBella books & sells out Madison Square Garden for Sergio Martinez vs. Andy Lee on 03/17/2014 (St. Patrick's Day 2014)