DESPITE the fact that he finds it hard to get a decent opponent to step into the ring with him, Andy Lee continues to strive forward and beat what faces him as last weekend he stretched his unbeaten run to seven when he accounted for the Missouri based James Cook at the ESPN2’s Friday night fight series in Oklahoma.
The Castleconnell southpaw took five rounds to account for the 32-year-old American and knocked him twice, the first of which was deemed a low blow by the referee. However Lee was exonerated by slow motion TV footage that showed an inch perfect punch to the body from the former Olympian and former St Francis Boxing club star.
In the untelevised fight from the undercard, those watching online through streaming footage saw that Lee used is body punches to great effect in overcoming the somewhat “unknown entity” in the late call-up fight.
With plans afoot for Lee to join Emanuel Steward and heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko at his Austrian training camp, Lee was not yet confirmed to travel as a possible fight later this month loomed for the Limerickman.
However, Lee was only too well aware of the benefits of training with the heavyweight champ as in his last diary entry to Joe.ie he said that he knew the regime of the training camps to be intense.
“I know him [Klitschko] fairly well, he’s one of the hardest training boxers I’ve ever seen. For him to do a full 10 rounds of sparring a day is nothing. Every two or three rounds there’d be a fresh fells coming in.
“When you are in the camp with him and you see him training you see why he is in the position he is in.”
Lee is now breaking into the top 10 in ranking and said that; “training had been very good. I’ve been training hard and sparring a lot so I’m in good shape”. Evidence of which came last weekend in Lee’s control of the ring and the fight.
Noting the difficulties he has with the quality opposition, Andy said that he would love to fight better opponents and that those at the top are there for the taking.
“I always keep tabs on the middleweight fighters. We were looking around for a more meaningful fight and instead of just sitting around waiting for a fight to get on TV, I just want to stay busy and keep fighting and learning and keep moving my record up
“I’m 26 now and I’m ready for bigger fights and more of a challenge.
“I think the guys at that are up there are there to be beaten like Sebastian Sylvester (IBF champion), Felix Sturm (WBA champion returning from a lay-off) and Sergio Martinez (WBC champion) who will be moving down a weight. Paul Williams (USA) is there and he is always saying that no one wants to fight him. Not to be disrespectful. He’s a good fighter, but I would fight him. I would like to have an opportunity and show people what I can do against a good opponent”, Lee said on the “On the ropes show” on Blog talk radio recently.
As Andy Lee’s quest to become the number one fighter at 160lb continues, he will train and prepare himself for that chance to take on the best. Lee added; “Fingers crossed that happens [possible fight with Felix Sturm], but if it doesn’t happen straight away, it’ll happen eventually. I’m still young enough and I just have to keep winning”.
