Andy Lee wants St Patrick’s Day defence in Thomond Park

Thomond Park’s favourite ballad ‘The Boxing Song’ or ‘Stand Up and Fight’ will finally ring around the Limerick stadium in support of boxer and not the Munster Rugby team  if new World champion Andy Lee gets his wish.

After claiming the WBO middleweight World title in Las Vegas Lee will return home to a hero’s welcome at a Civic Reception in Limerick on Wednesday, but Ireland’s latest World champ is hoping for a bigger homecoming next year.

The 30 year old would love his first defence to play out in Thomond Park on St Patrick’s Day.

“I think I have earned that and deserved that. Hopefully that will be next, maybe March, St. Patrick’s Day.”

“Maybe Thomond Park or the 3 Arena in Dublin, somewhere in Ireland and that would be great,” Lee said on Newstalk when asked about his first defence, which looks set to be against Billy Joe Saunders.

Lee didn’t just look forward when talking on the radio show, he also reflected on Saturday night.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said.

“Winning a world title was on my check list and to bring it home to Shannon and step off the plane wasn’t far behind it. It’s great to finally do it after all these years.”

Lee also said that the stopping Matt Korobov, Saturday night’s foe, was something he and trainer Adam Booth had discussed

“The plan before the fight, the plan Adam laid out was to maintain and stay with him for the first half,” he revealed.

“We’ve seen a pattern in these fights that he tires and slows down in the second half and his quality level drops and to come on strong in the second half.That’s the way the fight was going and it ended it before Adam expected it to happen,” he added before discussing the win further.

“It was as much relief as joy at that stage.”

“I will always be world champion now. I will always have achieved something that will be bigger than me. My children and grandchildren will always be able to say their grandfather was a world champion.”

“That is huge.”