Ireland's WBO world middleweight champion Andy Lee reflected on his career on RTÉ One's Saturday Night with Miriam and spoke about his title defence against England's Billy Joe Saunders in Thomond Park in Limerick on 19 September.
Lee revealed that a call from the late great boxing trainer Emanuel Steward prompted him to turn professional after representing Ireland at the 2004 Olympics.
“In a way it would have been taking the safe route and staying in my familiar surroundings with what I knew," he said of the option of remaining amateur.
“But at the same time I had a guy from America called Emanuel Steward, who is a legend in boxing, and, well to put it in terms people understand, it’d be like Alex Ferguson calling up a young guy from Limerick and saying 'come play for Manchester United'. It was too good of an offer to turn down.
“I relocated to Detroit and based myself there and lived there with him for nearly nine years.
“He always said I would be world champion, so it meant a lot to me to win the world title for myself and for my family, but it meant a lot to make his words come true.
“It was nice to dedicate it to him and doing him honour by being a champion and defending it.”
