By Dan Fitz-Simons: Only two months after his exciting, come-from-behind knockout of previously undefeated Craig McEwan, Andy Lee 25-1 (19 KOs) is returning to face Alex “the technician” Bunema on May18th at the Donald Stephens Center in Rosemont, Illinois. To his credit, Lee wants to stay busy instead of hanging around the gym waiting for a title shot.
Since his only loss to Bryan Vera three years ago, Andy has compiled a record of ten straight wins, six by KO. Moreover, he has popular appeal as an old fashioned fighter who doesn’t swear or trash talk his opponents. Boxing for him remains a competitive sport in which he can defeat his opponent by perfecting his skills and athleticism.
But Lee’s easy going manner can be deceptive as many opponents belatedly discovered after landing on the canvas. He started boxing when he was eight years old, and now at twenty-six, “The Limerick Assassin” appears to be reaching his peak. Lee is rated # 2 by the EBU, # 5 by the WBA, # 6 by Boxrec, # 10 by the WBC, and # 13 by the WBO. A 6′ 2” southpaw, he can take an opponent out with either hand. The lad from Castleconnell has an arsenal of punches, including a powerful upper cut and a devasting right hook. Moreover, he can use his reach to jab effectively, “fighting tall” on the outside. A final plus is that he’s coached by Manny Steward, one of boxing’s top trainers.
Yet defensive problems continue to plague Lee’s erratic performance; his latest victory over McEwan was anything but impressive. This became evident for 5 rounds, when he lapsed into a state of catatonic paralysis, backing straight out without any head movement. After he finally began throwing hooks to McEwan’s body, the fight gradually turned around. The only positive aspect of Lee’s sluggish performance was that he exhibited determination and stamina, while re-establishing his reputation as a banger. As Lee gradually maneuvers toward a world title shot, he’ll not only have to defeat his opponents; he’ll have to look better doing it. However, improving his image against a seasoned veteran like Bunema could be a tall order.
Alex Kalonji Bunema 31 (17 KOs)-7-2, from Kinshasha in the Congo,is an orthodox fighter with 250 rounds boxed. His fifteen year career spans 40 professional fights against ranked opponents and tough journeymen including: Sergio Martinez, Roman Karamazin, Vince Phillips, Jermain Taylor, Kassim Ouma, J.C. Candelo, and Bronco McKart. Although Bunema has fought mostly as a light-middleweight, he’s also battled at weights ranging from 140 to 176. Bunema and Lee have only one opponent in common, Anthony Shuler: Alex defeated Shuler by 12-round unanimous decision; Lee beat Shuler by a 3rd round TKO. Boxrec gives both Lee and Bunema two star ratings, so statistically, it looks like a fairly even contest.
However Bunema, well past his prime at 36, is giving up 10 years to Lee. Ring rust is another factor. Bunema hasn’t fought in almost 2 years, losing his last fight in 2009. Moreover, Alex was given only 3 weeks to prepare for this bout. At 5′ 9,” Bunema is also facing Lee with a 5” height disadvantage, and in spite of any catch weight, he’s a smaller man than Lee. The stronger, younger Lee is “expected” to win. Nevertheless, this is boxing and considering recent upsets (Kirkland, Lemieux, Juanma) anything can happen. It’s possible Lee could get schooled by the more experienced African warior. But a more likely scenario is that the controversial Irishman will suit up, get the job done, and move on to his next opponent in 2 or 3 months.