Andrew Carey talks to Andy Lee ahead of Saturday night’s showdown at the UL Arena
A PUGILIST by trade but a believer at heart, whatever he is, he’s one of Limerick’s finest sons and Andy Lee returns to the cacophony of noise that will become the UL Arena for the Yanjing Fight Night this Saturday night as he faces into what he has described as one of his “trickiest fights yet”.
This week, the Castleconnell native returned to his much loved city ahead of the clash with European Union Champion, French National Champion and higher ranked fighter in Affif Belghecham.
Post Sport caught up with Andy in LIT this week as he launched the new Business Studies with Sports Management honours degree course at the college as well as giving an open training session at the LIT Sports Arena. In buoyant mood and with a confident approach to his battle, Andy said that this was a “step closer” to his dream.
“Ever since I started boxing I wanted to become a World Champion and I’ve dreamt of nothing else. I took to boxing at a young age with my brothers and I just picked it up and stayed with it. It came naturally and when I started winning medals by 17 and 18, that’s when people started to take notice. That’s when I knew I was on to something”.
Lee spoke of his Olympic dreams and his 2004 success and his offers to turn professional.
“It’s a tough sport, obviously, but the professional game is crooked as an unstructured sport – it can sometimes turn political but you have to surround yourself with good people and I think I have done that. I signed a five year deal with Emanuel Steward and he looks after me.”
Having moved to the Kronk Gym in Detroit, Andy spoke of his time in America and his more recent move to New York.
“It’s a tough city Detroit and I’ve moved to New York temporarily, to get a change of scene as I found that you can get comfortable sparring with the same boxers. My girlfriend is there too and it’s a closer flight home. I love New York, but the gyms in there are tough, very tough – that’s good – I need it. Sometimes the sparring can be tougher than the fights”.
Andy added that one of his more regular sparring partners is the 6ft 6in heavyweight, Wladimir Klitschko, a 3-time heavyweight champion, two-time WBO Champion and the current IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight champion.
Looking to this weekend’s battle against his French opposition, Lee recalls his past experiences in the UL Arena.
“Brilliant is all I can say about the place. It’s amazing through all the noise that is made and the voices that you hear, I can still pick out the ones I know and the ones in my corner. If it’s Joey [Gamache] my trainer or my brother or Emanuel [Steward] I can hear them. I know, as it has been in the past, the UL Arena and the fans will be loud. Brian Peters always puts on a great show and it is fantastic to be involved in it.
“The Ireland soccer match will be on the big screens before my fight and although I’ll be preparing in the dressing room, I’m sure my brother will be running out to check if Robbie Keane has scored.
“This, hopefully, will be a great night for Ireland and I’m looking forward to it. I’ve trained well and I’m both confident and prepared. We’ve looked at plenty of tapes of Belghecham and hope to have done enough work to counter what he throws at us. It will be a tough and hard fight but if I get past this I could break into the top 10 in most rankings and that is where I need to be to challenge for world titles.”
Andy has been training constantly but noted the increase in the intensity over the last six weeks.
“Twice a day and six times a week, that’s what I do on the run into a fight. I’m usually pretty close to my weight all year round so making weight for the fight only comes to my mind in the last two weeks. This week has been about mental preparation and focusing on the fight. I try to imagine the fight and work it out in my head”.
Speaking of his self belief, Andy tells of remaining focused and calm during a fight even when “someone is punching me in the face”.
“It’s never personal – it’s a difficult thing to do, but you have to remain calm and try not to lose the head. Lose your head and you’ll lose the fight. You have to believe in yourself and I do.
“I remember back in 2007 when I was fighting Jason McKay in the National Stadium in Dublin. He was saying stuff me out before the fight and that was the first time that anyone badmouthed me before a fight. He said I had no heart or something like that and I really got mad. I showed him how much heart I had in the fight and won. I know Jason very well and we’re friends, but I didn’t lose the head and that was the difference.
“There’s always pressure on you when you are at home in front of your own crowd. Especially in Limerick, but on the other hand you get great encouragement and people just walk up to you wishing you luck and giving you that extra bit on the night. It’s fantastic.
“This weekend could put me in a good position to challenge for a title – maybe next year even. Two or three more fights and I could be back for a big one”.
And as for that road Andy?
“Slowly but surely, it is another step for me. A long road that has the ultimate goal. I want to be a World Champion”.
