Irish boxer Andy Lee will have nothing but good intentions when he spars with world middleweight champ Jermain 'Bad Intentions' Taylor in Detroit.
Middleweight Lee is presently back home in Limerick, but returns to the USA next week for sparring with Taylor under coach Emanuel Steward at the Kronk Gym in Detroit.
Taylor is being trained by Steward ahead of his WBO/WBC world middleweight showdown with southpaw Ronald 'Winky' Wright in Memphis on June 17.
Former St Francis Limerick southpaw Lee, will fight on the undercard in Memphis, and coach Steward believes he's just the man to help unbeaten Taylor record the 26th win of his career.
Lee said: "Emanuel will be training both of us for Memphis and I'm an ideal sparring partner for Jermain as I am a southpaw.
"I was in Las Vegas to see Taylor beat Bernard Hopkins last December and he is obviously a world class middleweight."
According to Lee, who has won his first two pro fights, America definitely represents the land of opportunity.
He added: "In the last few months I have sparred with Wladimir Klitschko and Hermit Clintron and both are world champions.
"And now I am going to train and spar with Jermain Taylor which is ideal for me as these are the type of boxers I want to measure myself against.
"Where Jermain is now is where I want to be in another few years and only in America would you be given the opportunity to learn so much training with world class boxers.
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"Last night I nearly died,
But I woke up just in time".
Duke Special