By Jack Sumner
Middleweight contender Andy Lee returns home at Belfast’s Odyssey Arena this weekend, fighting for the first time in Ireland in almost three years when he takes on compatriot Anthony Fitzgerald.
Lee (28-2, 20 KOs) has spent much of his professional career based out of Detroit learning the ropes under late Hall of Fame trainer Emmanuel Steward, but has now relocated to the UK to work with Adam Booth after the sad passing of Steward in October.
The last time Lee fought outside of America was May 2010 when he scored a second round win over Mamadou Thiam in Limerick and it’s sure to be an emotional return for the London-born Irishman who aims to put his career back on track after a stoppage defeat.
In June of last year Lee challenged Julio Cesar Chavez Jr for the Mexican’s WBC middleweight crown, but after an encouraging start to his first world title shot was badly hurt and stopped in the seventh round. Established at world level though, Lee immediately set his sights on getting back into the world title picture. The death of Steward however was an incredibly tough loss, as Lee not only lost a trainer but a close friend who he’d been living with for some time.
The fight with Fitzgerald on the undercard of the Carl Frampton and Kiko Martinez bout is a new beginning for Lee and a carefully matched chance to rebound from the Chavez defeat. Fitzgerald (13-3, 4 KOs) is a very game, very durable, domestic level fighter but hasn’t been in with anyone close to Lee’s calibre. His last outing was a three round decision defeat to unbeaten four-fight prospect Eamonn O’Kane in the latest Prizefighter middleweight tournament.
It’s a huge opportunity for the 27-year-old from Dublin and an upset win over Lee could catapult him from the wilderness to world recognition. Given the gulf in class and experience however, a massive upset a Fitzgerald win would certainly be and Lee shouldn’t have too much trouble looking good on his way to a comeback victory.
From there, intriguing match-ups with top British middleweights Matthew Macklin and Darren Barker may lie ahead later this year.
