THERE WAS ONLY one show being talked about in Chicago last night, and it wasn’t Limerick man Andy Lee’s NABF and NABA middleweight title fight against veteran Alex Bunema.
While most of the city was glued to game two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Chicago Bulls and the Miami Heat, Lee (26-1, 19 KOs) outclassed his opponent, unanimously winning each of the fight’s ten rounds on the judges’ scorecards.
Following on from his last-gasp knockout against Craig McEwan in March, Lee’s understated victory will reinforce his credentials as one of the principal challengers at the top end of the middleweight division.
The Irishman controlled last night’s headline bout at Rosemont’s Donald Stephens Center from start to finish with Bunema (15-3-1, 6 KOs) seemingly happy to let his opponent dictate the fight’s rhythm.
Only at the beginning of the seventh round did the Congolese-born fighter show any signs of intent though it was scarcely enough to really trouble Lee at any stage.
“When the guy just wants to survive, it was very hard to knock him out,” the 26-year-old said afterwards.
I kept telling my corner I want a KO, but they said I was boxing beautifully.
