Comeback King Lee digs deep to earn draw against Peter Quillin

COMEBACK Kid Andy Lee came from behind to secure a draw with Peter Quillin in an intriguing if not all-action bout in New York on Saturday night.

The WBO middleweight champion was dropped to the canvas in the first round and was down again in third, but showed his now trademark guts as well as composure and clawed his way back into the clash.

The Limerick Person of the Year banked a number of rounds in a bout that had a heavyweight feel in terms of both fighters looking for the big shot, and the fact a knockdown was always looming, before producing the right hook that has served him so well in his previous two fights to register a knockdown of his own.

That shot saw the Irish star become the first fighter to drop Quillin and canceled out one of ‘Kid Chocolate’s’ knockdowns in the process. Lee then took more rounds down the stretch and earned a 113-112, 112-113, 113- 113 majority draw.

Lee’s WBO title wasn’t on the line as the American failed to make weight for the purposed title fight, but would have retained his title with the draw.

Lee, who fought with a cut over his left eye and had his jaw checked by the doctor midway through the massive bout, might also argue the second knockdown, which came in a round he was dominating, was a result of his opponent standing on his toe rather than any shot on the chin. If that wasn’t ruled a knockdown in the third Lee would have won the fight.

The Adam Booth-trained fighter now looks set to defend his title against mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders in the Summer, possibly in Ireland.