The Limerick pro-boxer enters the ring for his 19th pro-boxing contest this Saturday night on the undercard of the World Heavyweight clash of champion Waldimir Klitschko and Ruslan Chagaev.
The heavyweight contest takes place in the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
The soccer stadium of Schalke 04 will be packed to its capacity of 60,000. The impressive arena opened in 2001 as the new home ground for the leading Bundesliga club and it hosted the 2004 UEFA Champions League final and five matches in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, including a quarter-final.
“I’m really honoured to have the opportunity to fight on the card, it is not every day you get a change like this; the undercard of a World Heavyweight Title fight in a sold out 60,000 capacity venue is truly amazing,” said Castleconnell’s Lee of Saturday’s fight.
Lee, who celebrated his 25th birthday last week, will face Lativan Olegs Fedotovs in an eight round Middleweight contest. While the former St Francis Boxing Club Olympian brings a record of 17 wins from 18 fights to the ring, Fedotovs’ record reads 10 wins and five losses. Andy Lee has spent much of the last month in the Austrian Alps on a training camp with coach-manager Emanuel Steward and fellow Kronk Gym boxers, Klitschko and Jonathan Banks.
“Waldimir is a real professional and is an inspiration and role model to me as a boxer in the process of learning my trade,” said Lee.
“I am very focussed on developing my boxing skills and this fight gives me the opportunity to gain yet more experience. I have been a professional now for just over three years and I am still learning through my fights and in the gym,” said the southpaw.
Saturday will be Lee’s second fight of the year. Back in March he defeated Alexander Sipos in Dublin’s O2 on the undercard of Barnard Dunne’s world title fight.
“Andy is one of the most committed and dedicated fighter’s I have ever worked with,” said Emanuel Steward in praise of his star.
“He lives a very disciplined life and has always had a very mature attitude in his approach to his boxing career.
“Andy is a pleasure to be around and work with - he will shine in this forthcoming fight.”
Saturday night’s boxing event is being televised by Sky Sports with their broadcast commencing at 10pm, but it is not known if Andy Lee’s fight will be included in their live coverage.
Meanwhile fellow Limerick pro-boxer Jamie Power will have his 6th pro bout in National Basketball arena Dublin on July 25.
The ex-St. Francis boxer, who holds a perfect record of five wins from five fights, will be do battle with fellow Irishman John Waldron of Mayo.
A win for the Caherconlish man could set up an Irish title shot against Dubliner Jim Rock.
Waldron is not unknown to Limerick fight fans as he was the last man to oppose Andy Lee as an amateur when the Mayoman fought Lee in the Pery Hotel on his return from the Athens Olympic Games in a show hosted by Andy’s club St. Francis.
“This contest has been talked about on a few occasions, but never came off because of different issues - John is from Connaught and I’m from Munster so Dublin is a perfect neutral location for this fight to happen and it promises to be a cracker on a really exciting night of boxing. I can’t wait.
“A lack of sparring had a lot to do with my last performance which wasn’t my best, but Ken has sorted that for this one and I am currently getting the rounds in with some very tough guys, after six weeks and about a hundred rounds of sparring I’ll be fully ready for John Waldron,” said Power, who is training under the watchful eye of manager Ken Moore, trainer Finbarr O’Brien and conditioner Mario Felliciallo.
The July 25 show is being run by Hyland Promotions.
Tickets cost €50 go on sale at the start of next week and can be booked by calling 061 422 244.
Jerome O’Connell
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