The Castleconnell middleweight’s latest win came at Germany’s Gelsenkirchen’s Veltins Arena with a six-round points win over Latvian boxer Olegs Fedetovs.
The 25-year-old sustained a cut above his right eye, which will be monitored this week, but all going according to plan Andy Lee’s coach-manager Emanuel Steward will have him back in the ring within two months.
“I’m really delighted to win tonight, this was my 19th fight in my career and I see the victory as another building block in moving forward in my career and obtaining experience.
“It was a real honour to be on the undercard of a world heavyweight title fight in a sold out 60,000-capacity venue here in Germany,” said Lee after the win which brought his record to 18-1.
“I hope to get a fight in July or August in the states and keep myself busy, but tonight I am going to relish and enjoy the win and feeling of success,” said the Limerick man.
“It wasn’t my best performance, but it’s a win all the same.”
On Saturday night the three scoring judges awarding Lee victory by 60-51, 60-53 and 59-55.
Top-of-the-bill action saw German-based Ukrainian Wladimir Klitschko retain his IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles with a late retirement victory over out-jabbed Ruslan Chagaev of Uzbekistan in front of a crowd of 61,000.
Prior to that encounter - in front of an arena barely a quarter full - Lee was in charge of his contest from the outset.
Sporting a beard Andy Lee, who took to the ring in the second bout of the evening, proved untroubled by the significant lack of atmosphere.
He made sure of the opener by regularly following his jab with lefts to the head to force his tattooed opponent onto the back foot, one such left rocked Fedetovs onto his heels as the bell neared at the end of a one-sided opener. The former St. Francis Boxing Club Olympian, who had even doubled as a light southpaw sparring partner for the giant heavyweight bill-topper Wladimir Klitschko in the run up to this bout, dominated the second round, but found Fedetovs a little more game in the third.
However, much of what the Latvian threw was wild and he frequently fell short of his intended target, allowing Lee to score with counter lefts.
With the Limerick man having taken his foot off the gas a little, the fight firmly under his control, the fourth and fifth rounds proved closer-fought affairs.
Fedetovs managed to reply against the run of play with the odd right hook to the head, but whilst this was undoubtedly his best spell of the evening, the Latvian was still lacking accuracy and his fate was sealed mid-way through the last round when he was sent to the canvas with a glancing left to the chin.
Despite rising at a count of four, Fedetovs was mentally and physically defeated and the loss brought his pro record to 10-6.
JEROME O’CONNELL
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