Andy Lee to become pro boxing trainer
Andy Lee [35(24)-3(2)-1] has admitted that he may never fight again, but that doesn’t mean the Limerick middleweight isn’t keeping busy.
The former WBO champion is ticking over in the hope of another big fight, however is completely content with his career achievements at present and isn’t ‘desperate’ to get back in the ring.
Limerick’s Lee is still very much a visible figure in Irish boxing and Irish sport in general, becoming something of a media darling in recent times with his perceptive punditry and concise commentary.
Now Lee is beginning to go down a new avenue and is in the process of taking out a trainer’s licence with the Boxing Union of Ireland – with the intention of training BUI Celtic champion Eric Donovan [5(3)-0].
The pair are close friends and former amateur team mates, being two of the first Irish boxers to go through the High Performance Unit which revolutionised Irish boxing.
Lee has been involved in Donovan’s career already, constantly promoting the Kildare fighter in the media and being part of his corner team for the Athy southpaw’s second professional fight last year against Krzysztof Rogowski – but his involvement has increased in a major way.
Donovan is currently training with Lee ahead of his headline appearance on Saturday December 2nd at the National Stadium in Dublin. ‘Lilywhite Lightning’ tops the ‘Celtic Clash 4’ bill, defending his title against Asturian Juancho ‘El Pitbull’ Gonzalez.
Lee will act as chief seconds in the corner for Donovan for this fight – with assistance coming from experienced Belfast father and son pair Gerry Storey Senior and Junior – and with a view to a potential long-term partnership should the pair gel well.
The big-punching southpaw – who himself has been trained in the pros by top coaches such as Manny Steward, Sugar Hill, Joey Gamache, and Adam Booth – takes over from veteran St Michael’s Athy coach Dom O’Rourke who was recently elected President of the Irish Athletic Boxing Association.
O’Rourke, who has trained Donovan for over 20 years, will remain in an advisory role.
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Celtic Clash 4 also features Bernard Roe, Graham O’Shea McCormack, Colin O’Donovan, Vladimir Belujsky, James Cahill, Regan Buckley, John Joyce, Stephen McAfee, Martin Quinn, Dylan McDonagh, Thomas Finnegan, and Niall O’Connor, as well as a massive BUI Celtic welterweight title fight between Crank Whitehouse and Jay Byrne.
Tickets for the show cost €30 (Balcony), €40 (Gallery), €60 (Ringside), €100 (VIP Premium), and €15 (Under-15s gallery – must be bought alongside an adult ticket) and are available to buy from the Healthy Living Centre, 2 Duke Street, Athy, County Kildare, or by calling Laura on 086 7949 406, or online at Ticketmaster.ie.
