Andy Lee Retires from Boxing

Andy Lee has confirmed tonight that he is retiring from the sport of boxing at the age of 33.

The Limerick middleweight revealed on Off The Ball that he has brought the curtain down on a glittering career in which he claimed world title honours back in December 2014.

The southpaw, famed for his phenomenal right hook, was a decorated amateur, winning World Youth silver, European bronze, and EU silver. In 2004 he was Ireland’s sole representative at the Athens Olympics where he reached the Round of 16.

Lee subsequently turned pro in Detroit under the Manny Steward whom he lived with until the legendary trainer’s death in 2012. In this time he claimed the Irish super middleweight title, numerous rankings titles, traded wins with contender Bryan Vera, and lost out to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr for the WBC middleweight title in Texas.

The Castleconnell fighter then linked up with Adam Booth in London and, following a period of readjustment, sensationally claimed the vacant WBO middleweight title in December 2014 with a shock sixth-round stoppage win over Matt Korobov in Las Vegas.

A first defence against Peter Quillin was demoted to a non-title bout, which ended a draw, when the American missed weight. Lee would lose the belt the following December to Billy Joe Saunders in Manchester – after a Summer date in Thomond Park and a refixed fight in October in Manchester were postponed.

Following a year out in which he considered his options, Lee returned last March with a keep-busy win over KeAndrae Leatherwood at Madison Square Garden in the hope of securing a big fight with a major name.

This unfortunately never happened, however Lee has branched out into punditry, commentary, and even coaching in the interim and leaves the sport content with his career and achievements.

Lee’s final record reads 35(24)-3(2)-1.

Thank you, Andy.