Lee aiming to Cannon way through Motown debut

IT HAS been a long time coming, but Irish Olympic boxer Andy Lee will try and savour every second of his professional debut in Detroit tonight.

Lee, 21, hung up his Irish vest 11 months ago after a glittering amateur career saw him win a bronze medal at the European Championships and reach the Athens Games as his country’s only boxing representative. Now, four months after signing with the legendary Kronk Gym, and its equally renowned trainer, Emanuel Steward, the Limerick fighter is set to step into the ring at the 20,000-seat Joe Louis Arena to begin life in the paid ranks against local fighter Anthony Cannon.

“The last time I boxed was last April, just short of a year ago and it’s been a long and hard road since then,” Lee said. “It’s been frustrating at times, but it’s all sorted out now. I’ve thought about this fight for a long time and now it’s here I’m going to enjoy it because it’s not going to happen again.