Lee faces tough Mexicanin opener
He will open this evening’s second session at the Olympic Boxing Stadium paired with a tough little Mexican, Alfredo Angulo Lopez from Mexicali who has peddled his wears in the USA.
Back home they call him “Parro” which is Spanish for dog and when asked why, they said it was he was always looking for a fight.
He is assured of one tonight when he climbs into the ring against one of Ireland’s rarest talents, 20-year-old Andy Lee from Limerick.
Lee concedes age - Lopez celebrated his 22nd birthday here on Wednesday - but nothing else. At 6’ 2” the Irishman is all of six inches taller, has a longer reach and has the hunger for this.
Lopez is macho, he loves to fight, loves to mix it and, and Irish boxing coach Billy Walsh says he stands so close you could fight him in a telephone kiosk.
“This guy is tough,” he said. “He was in the pre-Olympics here in Athens. He likes to fight. You won’t have to go looking for him.” But the Wexford man could not hide his delight with the draw.
“He has avoided most of the medallists - the guys you would want to avoid - but then again if he wins a couple of contests he will fight the European champion and the last Olympic silver medallist,” he said.
“The eight guys - and they include Andy - who qualified for Europe are exceptional and then you have the Cuban, the American and a guy from the Dominican Republic who is the Pan American Games champion.But we are not looking that farjust yet. We are concentrating onthis little Mexican who is a tough character.”
They will be wary of the Mexican because he is all-action, boxes like a professional and has been around the block despite his young age - he began boxing at 17 when he was based in San Diego - and he is the typical South American macho man.
“Normally those guys suit Andy because he is a counter-puncher and a boxer but if they are constantly in your face they give you a headache,” Walsh said. “It is hard to find someone as good as Kieran Joyce but he is that type of character - keeps coming at you, always in your face and giving you no room to breathe.
“He boxed in the pre-Olympic tournament here in Athens and I think we have a CD of him at home so I will be dashing back now to find it so that we can have a good look at him. We will work out a few tactics.”
While he admitted they might just have hit it right, he said there could be no hint of complacency.
This contest and maybe the second round of the preliminaries when the winner meets either Hassan Ndam Njikam of Cameroon or Juan Jose Ubaldo from the Dominican Republic will be fought out in the comfort zone.
Boxing: Andy Lee 5.30 p.m. (Irish time).
Clay Target Shooting: Derek Burnett 7 a.m.
Cycling: Ciaran Power and Mark Scanlon, Olympic Road Race, 10.45 a.m.
Rowing: Lightweight Double Sculls Sam Lynch and Gearoid Towey 8 a.m.
Swimming: Women¹s 100m Breaststroke Emma Robinson 8.52 a.m.
Clay Target Shooting: Final 7 a.m.
Equestrian: 3-Day Eventing: Niall Griffin, Edmond Gibney, Susan Shortt, Sahsa Harrison, Mark Kyle.
Sailing: Europe: Maria Coleman; Laser:Rory Fitzpatrick.
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