Moved fight ‘an act of God’

Following the shock decision to cancel the Andy Lee-Billy Joe Saunders fight at Thomond Park, a former mayor of Limerick speculated yesterday that ‘the Hand of God’ could have played a part, as it did for footballer Diego Maradona in 1986.

With five weeks to go, 12,000 tickets — 8,000 in Ireland and 4,000 in Britain — had been sold. However, yesterday, promoters switched the fight to Manchester, after Frank Warren said Andy Lee had contracted a virus that could have affected his preparation for the September 19 fight in Limerick.

As deputy mayor, Jim Long pulled the first legal pint on a Good Friday after Limerick District Court gave special permission for the sale of drink when Munster played Leinster in 2010.