Olympic hopeful Lee heading for pro ranks

LIMERICK boxer Andy Lee appears to have finally signed a professional contract with the legendary Emanuel Steward.

However, with Lee away on holidays in France, confirmation about his future remains unclear, even though it seems certain he will turn his back on the amateur ranks in the next few days.

The rumour mill surrounding the Irish Olympian’s future began last week when Steward’s Kronk Gym website indicated that he was set to make his pro debut at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Michigan, on August 13 against an un-named opponent.

“The August show will have an international flavour as seven-time

Norwegian amateur champ Geir Inge Jorgensen will make his American debut. In addition Ireland’s amateur sensation Andy Lee will make his professional debut,” the website boasted.

Last week the IABA’s High Performance Director, Gary Keegan, said he was satisfied that no contract had been signed nor was there a contract on the table to be signed but yesterday, as speculation mounted, he said they were now beginning to feel resigned to the fact that he was about to leave them for the pro ranks.

The Irish Sports Council are puzzled by the developments because they felt that, while the Limerick southpaw had not signed their contract, he had agreed to it in principle and would be representing Ireland in Beijing in 2008.

“We had made him a very strong offer that would take him up to Beijing and we felt it was done and dusted,” said the Irish Sports Council’s Communication Manager, Paul McDermott.

All of Ireland celebrated at the time because, since he won the silver medal at the world championships in Cuba, he had been singled out as a contender for an Olympic medal in 2008.

Lee had met with Emanuel Steward and Thomas “Hit Man” Hearns in Belfast late last year when they discussed a possible professional contract.

“We know Andy has been approached again and, from our point of view, he has possibly asked them to make their best offer,” Mr McDermott said. “We have not been told that he has signed and we would hope that he will think seriously about our offer.

From our point of view it would be a big disappointment if he rejected it. But we don’t think he has gone professional yet.

“We spoke to him in January and while he did not ink the contract it was nothing to do with the terms and conditions. The terms were fine.”

The boxing fraternity in Ireland welcomed the offer which was the biggest ever made to an Irish sportsperson. Andy Lee was only

21 and at 24, with an Olympic medal in his pocket, he would have been a very marketable commodity.