Andy Lee faces French test In Limerick
Andy Lee will be hoping to keep his title ambitions on the right track on Saturday May 15th when he negotiates a middleweight ten-rounder with French puncher Mamadou Thiam. Veteran Thiam is on the wane but still possesses plenty of fizz in his shots and Lee will need to use his defensive skills, alongside an attractive attacking arsenal, to avoid the big bombs. A win for the home-towner will keep alive the possibility of big money showdowns with his domestic rivals.
The talented southpaw comfortably controlled the threat of Affif Belghecham for eight rounds in his last outing (also in Limerick) before letting the away man into the fight in the remaining two sessions. Belghecham’s spirited performance against Darren Barker recently, shines Lee’s win in a good light but Andy will need to keep his wits about him with Thiam.
“It's not a personal thing for me, I'm sure Andy Lee is a very nice guy but this is a business and a very hard business and there is no room for nice guys,” the 38-year-old visitor commented. “Lee is a big name in Ireland but I have fought at the highest level and I know what it takes to succeed there. Lee will be a good scalp for me and put me in a position to win another European title.”
Mamadou has won his last four fights, all by KO, claiming the questionable Global Boxing Council middleweight title along the way. Apart from holding his trousers up on fight night, that belt has little usage, especially for a man who mixed in world class company for many years.
The dual headliners have been showing off their skills all week, at specially arranged events across Limerick.
“Essentially it's about giving the public a chance to see what a professional boxer goes through on a day to day basis in training,” said promoter Brian Peters.
“Obviously everyone can see the results on fight night but people generally don't get to see the amount of effort that these guys put in whipping themselves in to shape for a bout.” 25-year-old Lee has been putting in the gym hours to ensure no slip-ups on fight night.
The southpaw always relishes a return to his stomping ground: “It's always an incredible experience walking to the ring in your hometown,” he admitted.
“You recognise so many people in the crowd and it really brings it home to you that you are representing Limerick as much as you are yourself. The support is always incredible and the buzz in the city on the week of a fight when I head home is always great.”
It would be a major upset if Lee were suffer a second career loss (the first came to Brian Vera in 2008) and it is expected he will avoid the early rush from Thiam before grinding him down for a late stoppage.
Fans had been anticipating a real grudge match between Michael Sweeney and former amateur star Ian Tims on the high-quality undercard but that clash was scribbled from the list when Tims sustained ligament damage in training.
“I feel gutted and upset,” bemoaned Sweeney.
“He was saying beforehand that I wouldn’t show up, but he obviously meant himself. I want Darren Corbett now, because I rate myself above all my rivals. It’s a shame for the fans that the fight won’t happen, but I did predict a five-round win and Tims got afraid and bottled it. Don’t worry, “The Storm” will still be in Limerick.”
With the Sweeney- Tims bout scrapped, Jamie Power’s Irish light-heavyweight title fight with John Waldron takes on even greater significance.
7-1 (4 KO’s) Power is desperate to win the belt in front of his home crowd and would appear a narrow favourite against the 4-2 (2 KO’s) Waldron who is less experienced but improving, since turning pro in late 2008.
Immensely popular female amateur star Katie Taylor could still emerge on the bill despite talk of her sustaining a nose injury in training.
Andy Murray will be looking to keep his unbeaten record intact against Amir Unsworth. Coleman Barrett returns from his Irish heavyweight title win over Colin Kenna in February to tackle Edgar Kalnars. Kalnars was stopped by Scott Belshaw in Belfast two years ago.
Cuban duo Luis Garcia and Mike Perez also feature. Perez meets journeyman Tomas Mrazek in a scheduled six-threes, while Garcia gets former Andy Lee victim Alexander Sipos over eight rounds.
Paddy McDonagh has an intriguing test in his only his third pro bout, meeting Belfast’s rugged Ciaran Healy, while Galway light-middleweight Alan Donnellan makes his first professional start, against Ryan Clark.
RTE will televise this Yanjing Fight Night across Ireland.
