By Mark Vester
Emanuel Steward, trainer and manager of middleweight prospect Andy Lee (16-0, 12KOs), is looking to push the kid hard in 2008. He's already trying to position him for the winner of the tentative bout between WBC/WBO middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik and John Duddy on June 7.
Steward says that Lee will be ready to fight the winner of Pavlik-Duddy by October or November. By then, Steward would like to have had Lee in the ring with both Howard Eastman and Winky Wright. Speaking with the Limerick Leader, Steward says that Lee is the best middleweight in the world.
"I think he is the best middleweight in the world and I see them all during my broadcast job (with HBO)," Steward said. "Right now I am negotiating with Bob Abrum for the winner of Kelly Pavlik and John Duddy to fight Andy Lee. By that time (October or November) Andy will have about 20 fights and will have beaten possibly about two main fighters - Howard Eastman and Winky Wright. He fights again on March 21 and then April 10."
Steward would like Lee to fight Eastman in April and then a possible fight with Wright in either May or June. Given the recent comments by Wright, it's unlikely that he'll agree to fight someone like Lee. Wright is presently sitting on the sidelines and waiting for a big name to come to the table with a big money offer. He's already refused bouts with middleweight champ Arthur Abraham and super middleweight Mikkel Kessler. Wright wants millions, and Lee, at least for the moment, does not bring millions to the table.
Steward is keeping Lee very active, making him fight at least once per month. He feels that Lee's strong amateur background is the reason why he's more advanced than other prospects and the reason why he's due for a title shot at the end of the year.
"I am grooming Andy to be a world title boxer. I know people are saying that I am rushing him, but most of my fighters win championships like that - Michael Moorer won in nine months and the same with Thomas Hearns. When Sugar Ray Leonard won his championship he fought nine fights in one year," Steward said. "I have them fight regular and practice their craft."
"Andy has way more experience than other guys - they underestimate Andy's amateur background. He fought all over the world internationally against Cubans and Russians and there is tremendous experience. In the last 18 months he had boxed the best fighters in Los Angeles, New York city, Chicago - the experience he has very few have. It is not fair to him to say that he should have to have 30 pro fights or wait around for three or four years."
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