THE NEW WBO middleweight champion of the world Andy Lee has spoken of his relief at seeing referee Kenny Bayliss step in to stop his bout with Matt Korobov on Satruday night.
Lee – who became the first Irish middleweight in 20 years to claim a world title – fired a vicious right hook that caused his opponent to stumble in the sixth round.
However, despite unleashing a flurry of punches to follow up, it took Bayliss longer than Lee expected to step in and call a halt to proceedings.
“It was a bit of gamble. you’re throwing your punches and hoping you get him out of there,” Lee told the Second Captains podcast.
“If I didn’t stop the fight there, if he had managed to hold and or get through that, I would have punched myself out. It seemed like forever [before the ref stopped the fight].
And even though he’s had more than 48-hours to get used to it, the Limerick fighter is still coming to terms with being called the world’s best.
“I can’t get used to hearing it ‘middleweight champion of the world’.
“It’s still sinking in. It’s a great feeling. We just flew back from Las Vegas – I’m in London at the moment. The whole flight back I was just buzzing. I had to put my music on and, it’s not hard to describe, it’s just joy.
“It’s something I’ve worked all my life for and now I’ve achieved [it] and nobody can ever take that from me.”
In other Lee news, Limerick Council today confirmed the boxer would receive a public homecoming this Wednesday:
You can listen to the full interview here.
Fantastic achievement. Congratulations.
He is in a very wide open division. No one has more than 2 belts, so hopefully he can push on and win a few more. Don’t know if any irish person has ever been undisputed in a division
This guy will always be in the fight with that right hook of his. Fantastic achievement, hope his next fight will be at the Gaelic Grounds Limerick or Thomond Park. We have some big pro boxers in the country now with the likes of Spike belatedly bursting onto the scene
Get a clue will ya? Well done and heartiest congratulations to Andy Lee but to say it’s an open division is utter nonsense. Golovkin is the elephant in the room for any other belt holder. Given a choice at all Cotto et al won’t go next or near him. He’s the most feared and dominant belt holder in any of the divisions currently and that includes Mayweather and Klitschko. I hope Andy Lee gets a few defences and a nice few pay days before he takes on Golovkin because I don’t see anyone beating him currently.
A wide open division???? Are u for real #ggg
Ur dead right,yer man that called d middleweight division wide open obviously hasn’t got an absolute notion what he’s on about
Def agree with you on this, fair play to him for getting a belt but to be realistic he is not at the level of cotto or golovkin, cotto is too skillful and golovkin is just a beast who will destroy anyone who gets in the ring with him. He is good but Not top tier.
Getting alot of thumbs up from people who don’t know boxing I guess, there are two guys with two belts, who would both destroy Andy of they fought, he is good and fair play to him for winning a belt but he is not a the top table, he might get shot at golovkin since he isn’t getting the biggest fights yet and only reason for that is because everyone is afraid to go with him
My apologies. Thought golovkin was a different division. Lee has 2 years of hard work before he would be able to challenge him. But booth is a gud trainer who might get him to that level, hopefully
Ah sure look, boxing as a sport means that every guy has a chance even if he has lost every round of nicking it with one sweet shot. In fact Andy Lee was getting a right trimming in his last fight before this one before he clocked the guy with an absolute beauty. Lights out.
But he could train for a hundred years and not beat Golovkin. It’s been said before of course about guys being invincible etc, like who could’ve predicted Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson but Golovkin is relentless, fights 4 times a year and just does not appear to have any weakness and has knockout power in both hands.
If/when he beats Martin Murray in February it’ll become increasingly difficult for the big names to avoid him.
Bit of a joke that the guy seen as the possibly the best all round boxer in the business can’t get the top fights he deserves, the others can use the he isn’t a big enough draw or wouldn’t bring enough money as an excuse anymore since Ggg is so popular now. He is mandatory for cotto now, hope cotto doesn’t vacate to avoid the fight
If he beats Canelo there’s nothing surer he’ll vacate but Canelo might take on Golovkin? He’d knockout either of them.
Ya he probably will just go back to light middleweight. In fairness to canelo he will fight anyone which is good to see, I think canelo would be tougher fight purely because he would be able to take the power punches off ggg better.
Farce
Another great Irish champion.
Honour to you Andy
Was delighted to see Andy win. Have been following his career since his debut many a moon ago. He’s a grinder, and worked his ass off to be where he is today. I was actually shocked there was no mention of Andy’s fight prior to the win. Even at that, he still hasn’t got the attention in the media he deserves.
Another great Irish champion
Brilliant achievement. Andy always sounds like a genuine gent when being interviewed. And a proud Irishman too.
Not really a sport is it? But fair play
You should tell Andy that!
What is it then ?
One of the toughest sports actually! Wonder how long you’d last doing a boxing training session? Boxing and MMA are physically different levels to most sports!
It’s actually one of the truest sports out there, mono et mono, nowhere to hide.
It’s not a sport??? That is the stupidest comment ever.
Please enlighten as to why you think that……..
Not really a sport!!! Are u smoking crack!!! The noble art of hitting and not being hit is one of the oldest and greatest sports!!!
Wonderful. But take it easy on the comment that you would have punched yourself out unless you are sure that it’s untrue .
Try it for the Craic Tequila !!
Admitting he was close to punching himself out? That’ll give his next opponent some confidence.
Or draw his opponent into a false sense of security. I wouldn’t read too much into that comment.
well Done Andy, you proved a lot of people wrong,i never thought id see you walk around Limerick with the world title belt around your waist,but around 430 today at city hall we will all get to see you and your world title belt,im sure thousands will turn out to honour you,you deserve it champ!