No details on what injury the Irishman has suffered yet
Andy Lee emerged from his most recent fight with Peter Quillin with a mighty fine cut above his eye after the bruising encounter in New York.
After the American failed to make weight, the fight was a non-title contest, but it was still a serious examination of the mettle of the WBO middleweight champion.
It was expected that after that fight Lee’s next opponent would be Billy Joe Saunders, as the No 1 rated contender for the belt that Lee currently holds.
It was hoped that the fighters would be announcing a deal to box later this summer, perhaps in Thomond Park, but those plans are now firmly on ice after it was revealed today that Lee is currently injured and will not be fit to get in the ring this summer.
Promoter Frank Warren made the announcement on twitter this afternoon:
WBOPresident Paco Valcarcel announced that due to injury Andy Lee will be unable to defend against#1challenger BillyJoe Saunders this summer
— Frank Warren (@FrankWarren) April 30, 2015
BJS is now set to fight for the WBO Interim World Middleweight Title whilst he waits for Andy Lee to recover
— Frank Warren (@FrankWarren) April 30, 2015
The injury to the Limerick man means that Saunders,who was to box on May 9th, will now not appear at that event at the SSE arena.
However it has opened the door to a Saunders-Chris Eubank Junior rematch if a deal can be reached quickly,
Chris Eubank Jr has been publicly chasing a rematch with BJS.Negotiations have been ongoing for them to contest the WBO Interim World Title
— Frank Warren (@FrankWarren) April 30, 2015
There is little detail as of yet on what injury has derailed Lee’s ambitions since New York, but he is understood to have completed the last number of rounds against Quillin with a strained bicep in his left arm.
