Andy Lee will travel to the Kronk Gym in Detroit USA next week and may sign a contract with famed US coach Emanuel Stewart - if the deal is right.
Lee said last night that he had not put pen to paper with Lennox Lewis' former coach and would not be making his pro debut in Detroit next month.
But the St Francis Limerick southpaw did admit that he had been in contact with Stewart and that there was an offer in place that he was considering.
In an attempt to keep the 21 year old in the amateur ranks until the 2008 Beijing Olympics the Irish Sports Council this year offered Lee the biggest contract in Irish amateur boxing history last January.
The deal would have netted Lee EUR42,000 a year with an extra EUR15,000 if he won a medal of any description at either the Olympics, the World or European Championships.
However the Irish 2004 Olympian stated that that contract was not signed adding that he appreciated everything that the Irish Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) and the Sports Council had done for him.
"I will travel to meet Emanuel Stewart in the United States with my advisors next week and if the terms are right I will sign a professional contract", said Lee.
"However I would like to state that I have not signed anything with Emanuel yet and I will not be making my professional debut next month".
“I have been an amateur all my life and I feel that maybe now is the time to turn professional as I am twenty one year old and while I would like to compete in the 2008 Olympics I am aware that if you lose one fight that four years preparation goes down the drain.
"I would like to thank the IABA and the Irish Sports Council for everything they have done for me and I will be keeping them informed of what I do in the coming weeks and it is fantastic to have two excellent contract offers on the table".
"But the bottom line is that if I feel that the contract that Emanuel Stewart offers me is right I will sign it and I would then hope to make my professional debut in September."
