Limerick boxer drawn against Mexico's Lopez

Limerick middleweight Andy Lee has been paired against Mexican Alfredo Angulo Lopez in tomorrow's first round bouts in Peristeri, Athens.

This afternoon's draw saw 20-year-old Lee fail to net a prized bye, a fate which saw fellow unorthodox southpaw Michael Carruth on the road to glory in 1992.

Kazakstan's world champion Genadiy Golovkin is one of four boxers to move directly into the last 16 with a bye.

Lopez, who celebrates his 22nd birthday tomorrow, began boxing in San Diego at the age of 17 and will prove a tough nut to crack.

A 2003 Pan-Am Games bronze medallist, Lopez is nicknamed 'Perro', meaning 'dog', reflecting his 'pit bull' fighting style.

Lee's coach Billy Walsh said: "There were about ten fighters we wanted to avoid and we're pretty pleased with the first round draw. Certainly there's tougher fights down the line in his section, but Andy's just concentrating on tomorrow night."

The Irishman's fight is the first of the evening middleweight schedule tomorrow night, at 7.30pm (5.30pm Irish time).

Should he progress, he will meet either Hassan Ndam Njikam of Cameroon or Juan Jose Ubaldo of the Dominican Republic, with a possible quarter final bout against Russian Gaydarbek Gaydarbekov in the offing.

At 6' 2", Lee has a height advantage over all three, but 27-year-old Gaydarbekov is reigning European champion and struck silver four years ago in Sydney.