Andy Lee got back to winning ways on Saturday night as he recorded a hugely impressive tenth round knockout victory over American Willie Gibbs in the University of Limerick arena.
The capacity crowd of 4,000 in Limerick got behind the hometown middleweight straight away, and they got value for money as the composed and powerful Lee controlled the contest throughout, demonstrating real skill against a potentially dangerous opponent.
Lee dominated the bout from the first bell, keeping Gibbs at bay and picking him off with his powerful jab and solid combinations. Gibbs was unable to find a way past Lee’s defence at any stage as the hometown fighter’s reach advantage was the key factor.
In the final round, Gibbs threw caution to the wind and connected with a thundering right that opened up a long cut on Lee's forehead.
But Lee was still composed and took advantage of Gibbs' careless onslaught, sending the American to the canvas with a crushing right. Gibbs beat the count, but Lee pressed and unloaded on the visitor until his corner threw in the towel with just five seconds remaining.
The first round was a typically cagey affair, with neither fighter willing to show too much. Lee controlled the centre of the ring as Gibbs probed for an opening, with the Limerick man calmly kept the American at a safe distance, utilising his significant reach advantage to the full.
Gibbs struggled to penetrate Lee’s defence, keen to get involved inside, but Lee smoothly picked Gibbs off every time he advanced with impressive hand speed.
The hometown fighter never looked in trouble early on, but a clash of heads during a clinch in the third round opened up a small cut over Lee’s right eye. However, it was not debilitating and his corner men tidied it up.
In the fourth, the gap between the fighters began to close and Gibbs upped his efforts to get closer to Lee, making some inroads and showing that should he be given an opportunity, he had the power to trouble the Limerick man inside.
But Lee maintained his composure and continued to keep Gibbs at arm’s length.
The reach advantage was the key difference, as there was simply no route inside for Gibbs, who appeared to have run out of ideas, merely hoping that Lee’s defence would drop or that he could tempt the home fighter into a brawl.
Early in the fifth, Lee exploded with heavy combinations and pressured Gibbs onto the ropes. He moved in for the kill, unloading as his opponent covered up.
But the American showed great resilience as he took everything Lee could throw at him and came back with some shots of his own. But Lee simply backed away and settled into his defensive routine.
By the seventh, Gibbs was on the offensive. He was down on the cards and his only chance of victory was a knock out, so he chased Lee around the ring, but the hometown man danced around and continued to keep him at bay.
In the penultimate ninth round, Gibbs threw the kitchen sink at Lee, almost falling over as his opponent dodged the careless assaults. They were the actions of a desperate fighter and Lee was smiling in his corner before the last round, confident of a victory he richly deserved.
In the final three minutes, Lee may have relaxed too much, as Gibbs finally got through and connected with a thundering right which opened up a long cut on Lee’s forehead.
Gibbs pressed for the knockout blow as blood streamed down Lee’s face. But the Limerick man was far from finished – he responded with a massive right hand that sent Gibbs crashing to the canvas.
The American beat the count, but Lee closed in and pounded the dazed Gibbs with shot after shot, until his corner threw in the towel, handing Lee the knockout victory with only five seconds remaining in the final round.
After his shock loss to journeyman Brian Vera in March, Lee was in desperate need of a convincing success in this bout to put his career back on track and he certainly proved that he is still a force to be reckoned with in the UL arena.
