Gladiator Test for Lee

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Irish Voice Sport

Gladiator Test for Lee

July 16, 2008

By Declan O’Kelly

MIDDLEWEIGHT Andy Lee (15-1, 12 KOs) will return to the squared circle Saturday against Willie “The Gladiator” Gibbs (20-3, 16 KOs) at the University Sports Arena in Lee’s native Co. Limerick.

Lee, still smarting from his shock defeat to Brian Vera in March, aims to get back to winning ways this weekend.

“It going to be a tough fight, but I am prepared for it mentally and physically,” Lee told the Irish Voice on Tuesday from the Dunraven Arms Hotel in Adare, Co. Limerick. “I’ve learned from the last fight and hopefully I can show that this Saturday.

“I had a great camp, I was sparring a German guy, Alexander Sipos, one of the top middleweights in Europe. We did plenty of rounds, and everything is going according to plan. No injuries, I am in good shape. I did a lot of running and weight training and most importantly sparring,” added the southpaw, who was in training with heavyweight Wladimir Klitschko in Austria and Hamburg before going to Ireland.

“I am going to go out there and show how good I really am and do myself justice. I didn’t show how good I am in my last fight, and this time I am going to go out and make up for it.”

Lee, who admits that a lack of maturity in his last fight against Vera led to him being dragged into a brawl, is adamant that no such complacency exists this time out, and that he and trainer/manager Emanuel Steward are “deadly serious” about the bout this weekend.

The 24-year-old certainly hasn’t chosen the easiest of rebound opponents, as Gibbs is not going to roll over like his last adversary in the same venue, Alejandro Falliga.

The 32-year-old from Philadelphia, who is a cousin of Bernard Hopkins, has a punch –- 16 of his 20 wins have come by way of knockout. Though he lost his last two outings (a UD loss to Ray Joval in April 2007 and a first round KO to Edison Miranda in December 2006), this fight represents the last chance to resurrect his career, so motivation should not be a problem.

The card will also feature Derry light welterweight Paul McCloskey (16-0, 7 KOs), who will fight Nigel Wright (18-3-1). McCloskey has been rising steadily in the light welterweight division and feels he is about ready to challenge for a belt.

“I’m 28 so I don’t have any time to waste, and I’d jump at the chance of fighting for a major title,” the Co. Derry native said ahead of this weekend’s fight. The card will stream live on www.rte.ie.

Middleweight Matthew Macklin (21-2, 16 KOs) will not be in action this weekend in Birmingham against Francis Cheka (14-5-1). The 26-year-old was due to fight in the Frank Warren promoted event, but scheduling conflicts with Setanta TV meant the card was cancelled.

Oisin Fagan (22-5) had an easy win on the undercard of Bernard Dunne’s shutout victory over Damian Marchiano last weekend at the National Stadium in Dublin. The 34-year-old won all six rounds against Konstantin Sakara (1-3-1).

Fagan can now concentrate on his August 29 rematch against Verquan Kimbrough (20-1-1, 7 KOs) in West Virginia. The fight will be televised on ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights.

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