Andy leaves early

IRISH middleweight Andy Lee is developing a taste for going home early after taking just over a minute to drop Rodney Freeman and record the third victory of his professional career in Memphis, on Friday night.

Lee’s victory over Freeman came at about 3am on Saturday morning Irish time. The latter, a late replacement for William Johnson, had been considered Lee’s most tricky opponent to date — having won five of his ten pro fights so far.

But the Tennessee born puncher was counted out after being hit by a straight left to the chin from Lee, just 1 minute and 38 seconds into the first round.

Unbeaten Limerick man Lee, who fights out of the Kronk Gym in Detroit, has come under the wing of former world welterweight champ Milton McRory over the last few weeks.

And the ex-Irish Olympian has also been training and sparring with Jermain Taylor, at the Kronk, ahead of Tailor’s WBO middleweight title defence against Ronald Wright, which took place in Memphis, on Saturday night.

“My training and sparring has been going exceptionally well over the last few months and when you are involved with people like Milton McRory and Jermain Taylor you can’t help but learn,” said Lee.

“One of the most pleasing things about training with Milton and Jermain is that I found out that they are doing some of the things I do and have been doing all along”.

“I feel this is a great compliment in its own way, but I am also learning and developing as a boxer all the time”.

Lee’s coach Emanuel Steward may now arrange two fights for the 22-year-old, next month, and the former St Francis southpaw says he wants to have a fight every month this year.

He added, “My aim is to have one fight a month until the end of the year and to just keep building up my record and experience.”

“There was a few problems with promoters, which led to my fight in May being cancelled, so Emanuel may arrange two fights for me in July so I can catch up”.

“I opened up Freeman with a few right jabs on Friday night and then I hit straight him on the chin with a beautiful left and he went down and didn’t get back up,” Lee concluded.

Jermain Taylor, meanwhile, retained his WBC title after a draw with Ronald Wright on Saturday night.