Andy Lee plans to make it fast and furious
It wasn’t meant to be this way, but the champion maintains that a ring is a ring, no matter where the location.
September 19 was set to be a celebratory homecoming of sorts for Lee in a planned ‘Showdown’ against Saunders at Thomond Park, but the plug was pulled on the Limerick promotion a little over five weeks before the scheduled date.
Lee’s team blamed the cancellation on a virus picked up by the champion, while media reports cited slow ticket sales. No sooner was a new October date set for the fight in Manchester than it was postponed due to a cut picked up by Saunders in sparring. It appeared that the bout was doomed never to happen.
Finally, fight night is here, but the emotional rollercoaster Lee has been forced to ride — from looking forward to a hometown showdown to being the visitor in enemy territory — is surely a huge test of resolve for any champion ahead of his first defence.
“At the time, it was devastating when it got cancelled,” admits Lee on the abandoned Limerick date.
“I was sickened and they just said ‘we’re going to pull the fight’.”
Boxing has never been a sport that looks favourably on those feeling sorry for themselves, however, and Lee insists he quickly refocused.
“I had to get back in shape anyway. It’s all in the past and it doesn’t really matter, we’re here now,” says the champion. “I’ve had plenty of time to adjust to fight and that’s a good thing.
“When you’re fighting at home, you’ve got to do a lot of stuff as well. I’m doing a lot of stuff to promote this fight and at home it would only be ten times worse.
“I’ve fought away a lot and for most of my fights. I’m not too worried. I’ll come here, do the job, do what I have to do and take care of business in the ring.”
The lack of distractions may be a positive in a sense, but there often appears to be a common feeling in Irish sport that the Castleconnell native is a forgotten man, or maybe under-appreciated.
His title win over Matt Korobov came too late last Decmeber to see him nominated for RTÉ’s Sports Person of the Year for 2014 and although he is nominated for the 2015 award, Lee is not among the favourites to take the gong with the 31-year-old available at much longer odds than amateur world champion Michael Conlan or money-on favourite Conor McGregor following the latter’s recent UFC title win.
Lee also appeared frustrated in recent months as the middleweight clash of Spike O’Sullivan and Chris Eubank Jr last weekend competed with his own bout against Saunders for column inches, with the champion describing the trash-talking rivals as ‘Starbucks boxing’.
“Honestly I don’t care. I wasn’t peeved about Spike’s fight [getting attention]. I’m happy for myself - I’m world champion, I did it for nobody else but myself,” insists Lee on the esteem in which he is held.
“Other people do this and are in boxing to get attention… I’m happy I fight, I’m happy to have a belt and I’m happy to be the champion.
“If I was a big talker, if I was running my mouth off, I probably would get more attention, but I’m not going to change who I am or be anyone else.
“Beating Billy Joe Saunders, I don’t care if nobody hears about it, all I want to do is beat him. I don’t care if it’s not even in the newspaper in Ireland as long as I win.”
Lee may be more entitled to feel slighted by the popular pre-fight analysis of his bout against Saunders.
A common prediction for the fight has suggested that the slick boxer/mover Saunders will have too much gas and be too evasive for 31-year-old Lee, and that the 26-year-old challenger can employ his usual hit-an-move style to avoid the Limerick knockout artist en route to a points win. Of a panel of experts quizzed by subscription channel BoxNation, who broadcast the fight, eight went with Saunders with just two picking Lee.
For a fighter who has long been considered one of Ireland’s most stylish – having come through the tutelage of boxing masterminds such as Zaur Antia and Emanuel ‘Manny’ Steward – it seems a bizarre analysis for what is deemed a 50-50 fight by the bookies.
“I am a lot better than him [Saunders] technically, a lot more solid, a lot more correct in a way,” suggests Lee on his fellow southpaw.
“He has good, fast hands and good, fast punch selection and does things instinctively which is from years of fighting. He’s no joke, and I know that, but technically I’m a lot better.
“I don’t feel slighted but I hope that’s what people think in a way because I’ll surprise them,” answers Lee when questioned on the predictions.
“I’m making a point and banging a drum [about a knockout] but I can box too and I’ll be as happy if win a 12-round decision and out-box him as if I knock him out,” insists Lee, who has been reliant on his power in recent fights when trailing ion the scorecards.
“You don’t ever plan to be behind and I don’t plan to be behind in this,” says Lee.
“In this fight, I’m going to start fast and be the boss from the start.”
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