Comeback win for Andy Lee in New York

ANDY Lee made a winning return to the ring this Saturday night with unanimous decision win in Madison Square Garden over KeAndre Leatherwood.

It was a tentative bout for Limerick’s former WBO Middleweight Champion but in the end the judges scored the eight round contest 80-72, 78-74, 79-73.

The Castleconnell man was returning to the ring for the first time in 15-months and boxed out of the red corner, wearing black trunks.

The 32 year old former St Francis Boxing Club Olympian’s return was on the undercard of Gennady Golovkin v Danny Jacobs.

The last time the Limerick southpaw fought at Madison Square Garden, he floored John Jackson with a fifth-round knockout in June 2014 on the Miguel Cotto-Sergio Martinez undercard but there was no such drama this time round for Lee.

The opening three rounds were very cautious as Lee found his feet back in the ring. As the fight progressed he found some nice combinations without ever dominating his American opponent.

Lee hadn’t boxed since his December 2015 title loss to Billy Joe Saunders in Manchester – the break his longest since turning professional over a decade ago.

While Lee just passed the 11th anniversary of the first of his 39 professional bouts, his 28 year old opponent was fighting for the 24th time.