Andy Lee still guided by spirit of late Detroit trainer Emanuel Steward

Andy Lee is desperate to mark this December, a month of poignant personal anniversaries, in style when he finally makes the first defence of his WBO title in Manchester tomorrow night.

It was one year ago on Sunday that Lee claimed the belt, by beating Matt Korobov in stunning fashion at the Cosmopolitan hotel of Las Vegas, bringing an end to a nine-year professional quest to claim a world crown.

He was scheduled to defend it back in April but, when his opponent Peter ‘Kid Chocolate’ Quillin failed to make the weight, their contest became a non-title fight. The pair boxed to a draw in New York.