By Scott Gilfoid: After two close calls in his last two fights, WBO middleweight title holder Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) will be defending his WBO title for the first time next month against former WBO champ Peter Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs) on NBC on the Premier Boxing Champions at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Andy Lee
Andy Lee vs. Peter Quillin: A LOOK AHEAD
By Olly Campbell: In almost exactly one months time on April 11th, live from the Barclay Centre in New York, freshly crowned WBO middleweight champion “Irish” Andy Lee (34-2, 24ko) will make the first defence of his title against home town fighter “Kid Chocolate”, Peter Quillin, (31-0, 22ko) who himself is hoping to regain the very same 160lb belt that he recently vacated.
This contest has attracted a certain degree of media attention, both good and bad, for highlighting some of the political issues that can go on behind the scenes in boxing with regards to the right matches being made at the right time.
Garcia-Peterson & Lee-Quillin on April 11th on NBC
“Yes, Marv is here, and it counts.” – Al Michaels introducing fellow Brooklynite and Blow-by-Blow Announcer Marv Albert During PBC on NBC Debut
Martin Murray: I’m the second best middleweight in the world, I want Andy Lee
By Scott Gilfoid: After failing last Saturday night for the third time in challenging for a world title, Britain’s Martin Murray (29-2-1, 12 KOs) sees himself as the second best middleweight in the world.
The No.1 middleweight is WBA champion Gennady Golovkin (32-0, 29 KOs), who disposed of Murray in 11 rounds last Saturday night in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Murray made it to the 11th round, but he really was nothing more than a constantly moving and holding punching bag after the 2nd round.
Golovkin looking beyond Murray, wants Lee-Quillin winner or Froch
(Photo credit: Will Hart/HBO) By Scott Gilfoid: WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovin is facing #1 WBC Martin Murray this Saturday night in Monte Carlo, but already Golovkin is looking past Murray towards bigger fights against the winner of the April 11th fight between WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee and Peter Quillin.
Golovkin also is interested in facing WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch if he can get him to agree to the fight. In both cases, we’re probably looking at 2016 before any of those fights can take place.
Andy Lee wants unification match against Golovkin next year
By Scott Gilfoid: WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) still hasn’t made his first title defense against former WBO title holder Peter Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs), yet Lee is already thinking well beyond that fight for a unification bout against possibly the winner of this Saturday night’s bout between WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin vs. Martin Murray.
The Lee-Quillin fight will be taking place on April 11th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The venue is a perfect one for Quillin, who lives in New York, so the boxing fans that show up for the fight will likely be predominately in favor of Quillin. As such, you have to assume that Quillin will beat Lee one way or another.
Andy Lee sees Martin Murray playing possum against Golovkin for first six rounds
By Scott Gilfoid: WBO 160lb strap holder Andy Lee thinks #1 WBC Martin Murray’s best chance of success this Saturday night is if he plays possum for the first six rounds of the fight against WBA Super World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin (31-0, 28 KOs) in their fight on February 21st at the Salle des Étoiles, Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Danny Garcia vs. Lamont Peterson & Peter Quillin vs. Andy Lee official for April 11th
By Dan Ambrose: It’s now official now that Danny Garcia (29-0, 17 KOs) will be facing Lamont Peterson (33-2-1, 17 KOs) on April 11th in a catch-weight fight at 143 pounds in the “Premier Boxing Championship” series on NBC at 8:30 p.m E/T at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The fight is only scheduled for 10 rounds, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN. One can only guess why the fight is only scheduled for 10 rounds instead of the normal 12 rounds, but it’s likely out of concern for Garcia to make sure he doesn’t gas out and look bad in a 12 round fight.
Billy Joe Saunders passes up N’Dam fight, wants Lee-Quillin winner
By Scott Gilfoid: #1 WBO middleweight contender Billy Joe Saunders (21-0, 11 KOs) passed up a fight against Hassan N’Dam in what would have been a battle for the vacant IBF 160 pound title. Instead of taking that fight, Saunders wants to face the winner of the April 11th bout between WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee and former WBO champion Peter Quillin.
Saunders is hoping that Lee will beat Quillin so that it sets up what would likely be a nice money fight between Saunders and Lee. The only problem with this idea is that Lee is likely to get beaten by Quillin, which means that instead of Saunders facing Lee, he’ll be fighting the hard hitting Quillin for the WBO title.
Quillin: I’m going to take back my WBO title from Andy Lee
By Scott Gilfoid: #2 WBA, #2 WBO, #6 IBF, #7 WBC middleweight contender Peter Quillin (31-0, 22 KOs) put newly crowned WBO middleweight champ Andy Lee (34-2, 24 KOs) on notice that he plans on running over him on April 11th to take back his World Boxing Organization title in their fight at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The Lee-Quillin fight will likely be televised on NBC as part of the “Premier Boxing Champions” series, along with the Danny Garcia vs. Lamont Peterson fight.