Andy Lee Added To Dunne-Cordoba Undercard

maxxie

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=19023&more=1

sligobhoy67

maxxie wrote: »

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=19023&more=1

there is a god!

walshb

That's brilliant. I have been looking forward to seeing Andy in action; he has had a fair
lengthy layoff!

duagre

I'm really happy about this. I was very disappointed to see Andy was missing another fight after the long lay off. This is fantastic news

ah,sure

But is it against Echols?

eoin99

Brilliant news. Great to see Andy back in the ring after so long.

Any idea who the opponent will be?

walshb

According to boxrec, the opponent has yet to be named:

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=344849&cat=boxer

ah,sure

Fair to say this show will definitely sell out now?

Hangballlouie

Just received this from Peters.

Khan nightmare still haunting Fagan

The nightmare of his defeat to Amir Khan continues for Oisin Fagan as a planned appearance on the Hunky Dorys World Title Fight Night at The O2 on March 21 has had to be scrapped.

Fagan suffered a broken leg in his defeat to Khan last December and despite having had his cast removed and returning to training Fagan has been told he will not receive medical clearance in time to fight at The O2.

“The Khan fight was a nightmare and I just wanted to put it behind me as quickly as possible. It was a high profile fight and I felt embarrassed after being stopped in 2 rounds. That’s all people saw on the night and it’s all people remember. Nobody seemed to be too interested in the fact that I broke my leg on that first knockdown.

“Khan caught me with a nice hook but it was a punch that wouldn’t normally have been enough to put me down. It put me off balance though and when my foot turned awkwardly. I felt my ankle doubling up underneath me and heard a sickening crack. I knew at that moment, that I had broken something but I thought it was my ankle. The pain was incredible, but I got back up to fight.”

On his return home to Dublin Fagan was diagnosed with a spiral fracture of the fibula with the doctors amazed that he had managed to stand up let alone fight on with such an injury.

“Most people think I was nuts to get up and fight on with a broken leg but I feel like I have a heart, second to none and while it was very painful trying to reset my feet anytime he'd move, I had every intention of continuing for the whole fight but it was stopped and the defeat definitely goes down as the biggest disappointment of my boxing career.”

The prospect of making a quick fire return to action had motivated Fagan to return to fitness as quickly as possible and he was targeting a comeback on the undercard of the Bernard Dunne – Ricardo Cordoba WBA World title fight at The O2.

“I was very down about the Khan fight but I knew that the best way out of that was to get back in the ring as quickly as possible. After the operation the doctors told me that I could be out for up to a year which was devastating but I dedicated myself and worked so hard to put myself in a position to recover as quickly as possible.

“I converted an old office swivel chair into a training device that allowed me to shadow box while sitting in it and I also took to doing roadwork even on my crutches. When I heard about the big show at The O2 I set my heart and soul on getting a place on that card. I know it sounds crazy but in anticipation of fighting again, I had been sparring 8 and 10 rounds in training and running 10 miles on my roadwork days and generally training like a lunatic to get back in there stronger than ever.

“The bottom line was that it was medical decision to disallow me to fight and even though I made the point that we're not all clones and we don't all heal at the same time, I guess the doctors can't make an exception to the rule for an (extraordinarily and) determined quick-healer like myself, by allowing me to fight just 3 months after breaking my leg

“Personally though, I would much rather hazard physical pain and scars to my body than having to endure these mental scars that I am now tormented with and when it comes to overall health, I think that these psychological torments are so much more difficult to deal with than cuts, bruises and breaks.

“However, I don't blame the Boxing Union of Ireland or the doctors. Rules are rules and they operate to the highest medical standards to ensure that the boxers safety is paramount. Truth be known they have been fantastic and extremely generous, accomodating and supportive since my last fight. Mel Christle and Dr. Joe McKeever in particular have helped me so much through the many troubles and obstacles, which have happened as a result of the Khan fight.

“To be fair to them, their reputation would be on the line if they sanctioned a man to fight just 3 months after breaking a leg, no matter how miraculous my recovery seems to have been. However, I was just so determined to make the Irish people proud and show them that being Irish, for me, is a deep seeded mark of resilience and something that has shaped me throughout my life. This ideal is what drives me through the pain barrier every time I fight or anytime I am posed with a great challenge in my life. I remember where I am from and the courage and great tenacity that we, as a people are born with.

Fagan will now target a return in May. “I just have to wait for word to be released. I was told that since I am showing great improvement, that they would reduce the comeback date from the original 12 months, down to 6 months so that means I should be able to get back in the ring in May.

“I’m not going to stop training even though I have to take this heartbreaking news on the chin. I know at the age of 35, I am coming to the twilight of my career, but I am adamant that I have a few super fights left in me and I'm definitely not finished yet and I believe the underdog will rise, once again!”

maxxie

Thanks for sharing! Fagan is a true warrior!

ah,sure

I just rang Peters' office, caught them a minute before going home.

No opponent to be revealed just yet, unfortunately. She was like: 'all in good time, we know who but we're not saying yet.'

I asked was it Echols: she wouldn't say either

toughgainer

First off I’m delighted Andy has been added to the bill, really great news and is making the night something special.

However I wouldn’t hold my breath for him to be against anyone decent, because Dunne will be getting decent money and Cardoba will be getting huge money, then there’s Jim Rock and Andy Murray who won’t exactly be getting big money but will still have to be paid. So I reckon Lee’s opponent won’t be anyone high profile with just two weeks notice. There just isn't enough money to go round. We all know Mr. Peters wont be doing this for free.

Wonder how much the amateurs will be getting??

Hangballlouie

toughgainer wrote: »

Wonder how much the amateurs will be getting??

Nothing I hope, cos they wouldn't be amateurs if they get paid.;)

Now, if you mean the IABA, then they are getting a nice five figure sum, according to people I was talking to in headquarters.

alanceltic

Great to see Lee added to the card, was badly needed. Even if his opponent is going to be mediocre its always good to see him in action.

As for fagan, I always had huge admiration for him, a little guy who always got the thin end of the wedge and never complained

ah,sure

Rang Peters' office again, now they say they are working on the details of an opponent and nothing's confirmed yet.

The other day I got the impression they had someone lined up. Maybe Echols wants more due to distance, or he could have had a decent deal as fighting on the headline bill in NYC.

murpheile

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/other/2009/0313/1224242819760.html

Lee's opponent named, it's Alex Sipos.

Big Ears

Not a bad opponent given the short notice, Sipos is a small Middleweight(more of a large Light-Middleweight really) and has had some good wins down at L.Middle but not since moving up to full blown Middleweight.

He did put up a very good fight against Amin Asikainen, but the Finn deserved his win.

Wins over Hamlet Petrosyan, Javier Mamani and especially Cristophe Canlcaux show his class. But all of those were down at Light-Middle and he hasn't really achieved anything since moving up other than giving Asikainen a good fight.

There's the second of his two losses to Oral.

joepenguin

He seems a pretty decent opponent all things considered. A little more than a weeks notice and Peters probably didnt have the funds for a current top contender but he didnt line up any old tomatoe can either. Lee should win, but also learn a bit from the fight.

Geiger

Does anyone have a link to an update to date fight card for Saturday night?