Andy Lee vs. Peter Quillin: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info
Andy Lee defends his WBO middleweight title for the first time Saturday when he faces former champion Peter Quillin in New York.
Irishman Lee (34-2, 24 KO) claimed the vacant belt last December when he stopped previously unbeaten Russian Matt Korobov in the sixth round in Las Vegas.
Before then, the strap had been in Quillin's possession, with the American opting to give it up rather than face Korobov in a mandatory defence.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Now, Kid Chocolate (31-0, 22 KO) has the chance to claim back what used to be his. The Brooklyn-based boxer also has the added boost of fighting in his own back yard.
But Lee, who saw mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders step aside to allow him to fight Quillin first, should have plenty of support in the Big Apple.
The bout is the chief support to the catchweight clash between unbeaten Danny Garcia and fellow American Lamont Peterson on the Premier Boxing Champions card on NBC.
When: Saturday, April 11 at 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York
TV: NBC, BoxNation (UK)
Monkey off his back
You might think that the pressure is on Lee as he looks to keep hold of the gold.
Instead, though, the 30-year-old is actually feeling relaxed ahead of his maiden defence, per Martin Domin of the Daily Mail:
"There's been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders since winning the world title.
It's what I always wanted to do and I've been touted as a champion for years and if I never got it I would have been disappointed. Now the monkey is off my back and I can just box and show people who I am.
We've made physical and tactical improvements in the gym since the last fight and hopefully they'll show up in the ring on Saturday.
"
Lee had failed in his first attempt to become a world champion back in 2012, losing to then-WBC-holder Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Since that seventh-round loss, he began working with trainer Adam Booth, and the partnership has paid off: Six straight victories later, and the man from Limerick has finally fulfilled his potential.
Now he has to stay there, starting with a challenging defence against a man who will feel that Lee is only temporarily keeping hold of what is rightfully his.
Second coming
Much has changed for Quillin since he was last seen in action against Lukas Konecny nearly a year ago.
The Chicago-born fighter has experienced the joy of becoming a father, though he has also had to deal with losing an uncle to cancer.
In a Q&A with Brian Campbell of ESPN, he revealed: "It's like you get love and you lost love. I was dealing with some types of family issues, and I was very fortunate I was able to make a decision when it came to my family and put them first before I put boxing."
Now, however, Quillin is fully focused on becoming a two-time world champion.
The 31-year-old remains undefeated as a professional, and the Barclays Center should hold happy memories—it was at the venue where he beat Hassan N'Dam N'Jikam to win the WBO title in 2012.
He has promised fireworks against Lee, telling Campbell: "Me and Andy Lee will get in there, look at each other and give each other some respect. Then, I'm going to lose the respect and make him fight harder, and we will make an entertaining fight for the fans."
Prediction
You can argue an excellent case for either of the two experienced middleweights coming out on top.
Lee has developed since his defeat at the hands of Chavez under the guidance of Booth, though he did have to recover from an early knockdown to see off John Jackson last June.
The worry with Quillin is that he has been idle for such a lengthy period. A year may not appear too long to be out of action, but it should be remembered that he only fought twice in 2013, as well.
Still, Kid Chocolate has all the ingredients for success. Expect the former champion to reign again by way of a points triumph on home turf, though Lee will certainly make him earn it.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
