[caption id="attachment_70055" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Matthew Macklin poses with All Ireland-winning Tipperary hurlers Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett and his trainer James "Buddy" McGirt. "]
Andy Lee kicks off a big week for Irish boxing States-side this Saturday with a middleweight non-title bout against Mexican banger Alexis Camacho at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Mich.
The Limerick southpaw [27-1, 19 KOs] was originally scheduled to fight on the March 17 St. Patrick's Day show at Madison Square Garden where Tipperary's Matthew Macklin challenges Argentine Sergio Martinez for the world middleweight title. Lee withdrew from the card when a suitable opponent could not be found.
His 10-rounder against Camacho, a blown-up welterweight with 16 knockout wins on his 17-3 ledger is meant to be a "keep busy" fight while he awaits a world title bid. In recent weeks, efforts to secure Lee shots at World Boxing Association titlist Felix Sturm and World Boxing Council holder Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr., have both fallen through.
"The last two months have been a disappointing time for me, having to pull out of fighting on March 17 at Madison Square Garden and then missing out on the title fights with Sturm and now Chavez, Jr.," Lee admitted to the Echo on Saturday.
He, however, took solace in Saturday's bout.
"In a way I'm lucky to have this fight lined up as it will keep me busy. I don't know much about my opponent but I'll be giving him all the respect he deserves. This is not a "big" fight but it's important I stay active until a bigger fight can happen," he remarked.
Still, defeat is not an option for the man ranked second in the world by both the WBA and WBO organizations. Lee declared himself in good form for Camacho, most of whose fights have been at 147-pounds and who at 5-foot-9 will be giving up five inches to the Limerick man.
"I've been training at the Kronk [gym] in Detroit with Javan ‘Sugar’ Hill Sugar and my brother Roger. Everything has gone well. I've had a lot of good sparring with K9, Adonis Stevenson and Ronald Hearns and some of the younger fighter's in the gym," Lee said.
K9 is Cornelius Bundrage, the International Boxing Federation light middleweight champion, while Hearns is the middleweight son of Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns.
And Lee won't be at the Garden in New York on March 17, opting to fly home and celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Limerick. But he said that he'd watch the Macklin-Martinez fight with interest and, like everyone else, hopes that Matthew wins.
Tickets for the Lee-Camacho fight card, promoted buy Lee's trainer-manager Emanuel Steward, are pegged at $20, $35 and $200. They can be purchased at www.kronkfightnight.com or by calling (248) 924-5775.
SHARP KNIFE
At an open workout for the media at the Trinity Boxing Club in lower Manhattan last Wednesday, Matthew Macklin looked sharp and spoke confidently ahead of his title match with Sergio Martinez on March 17.
"I've had a great camp, sparring has been terrific and most of the hard work has been done at this point. The next few weeks now are just about fine tuning and peaking for fight night," said the Tipperary man nicknamed "Mack the Knife."
He had kudos for trainer James "Buddy" McGirt, saying: "It's been great working with Buddy again. He's a very knowledgeable boxing guy so it's great to soak that up.
"I'm ready for war and whatever happens in that ring. No matter if it goes one round or twelve, I don't believe Martinez is going to be able to cope with the intensity and burning desire that I will bring into that ring with me at Madison Square Garden on St. Patrick's Day."
McGirt gave his charge two thumbs up and was bullish about the outcome, March 17.
"Matthew is in great shape for this fight," said the former two-time world champion from Long Island. "I've worked with him for the Yori Boy Campas fight a few years back so I've been aware for a long time just how good he is. We're not going to shout or boast about doing this or that. Matthew's just going to go in there and let his fists do the talking. I must say though that I am very confident that he is going to shock an awful lot of people in this fight."
Also at the gym were Tipperary hurling stars Eoin Kelly, who played with Macklin at minor level, and Lar Corbett, a friend.
Said Kelly: "We came over to show our support to him because it's an absolutely massive night, not just for Matthew but for all of Ireland to have someone competing at that level, fighting a guy considered to be up there with the likes of Mayweather and Pacquiao on St. Patrick's Day at Madison Square Garden."
TICKET INFO
Tickets for the St. Patrick's Day show are priced at $505, $355, $205, $125 and $65. They are available from the Madison Square Garden Box Office, online at ticketmaster.com, or by calling (800) 745-3000. Call DiBella Entertainment at (212) 947-2577, or visit www.dbe1.com and @loudibella on Twitter for more information.
