HALL of Fame trainer Emanuel Steward has promised Andy Lee will come back a better, stronger fighter after his shock first defeat as a professional last weekend.

IRISH middleweight Andy Lee has been assured his promotional deal with the Top Rank organisation remains intact following the first defeat of his professional career.

Andy Lee admitted he had nobody but himself to blame after he lost for the first time in 16 professional fights, going down to Brian Vera at the Mohegan Sun Arena in the early hours of this morning.

Limerick's Andy Lee suffered his first defeat as a professional boxer in the early hours of this morning as Brian Vera shocked him into a seventh round stoppage at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.