Wheaton boxer Mike Lee ready for Madison Square Garden debut
Wheaton native Mike Lee figured things couldn't get any more spectacular than being able to box so early on in his professional career in the brand spanking-new Cowboys Stadium last year.
"That was incredible; tough to explain," said Lee, who is 7-0 as a light heavyweight. "You look up from the ring and you see yourself on the world's largest video screen …
"I just remember being out there and thinking to myself, 'Wow, this is pretty amazing; I can't believe I'm here.'"
He'll surely have another one of those moments Saturday when he steps into the ring for a scheduled six-round fight against Allen Medina at Madison Square Garden. Lee's fight will be part of the undercard for the Miguel Cotto-Antonio Margarito bout and will be shown on HBO PPV.
"To be fighting in New York at the mecca of boxing where there are so many great fight fans … it's really incredible," said Lee, who graduated from Notre Dame with a 3.8 GPA and a bachelor's degree in business finance. "I love the energy of this city.
"Saturday night is going to be a great, great night."
The bout, if it goes six rounds, will mark the first time Lee has fought that deep as a pro.
He's prepared.
"I spent the past few weeks down in Mexico City training at high altitude," the Benet Academy alum said. "Needless to say, I'm in the best shape of my life right now. It's pretty incredible coming back to regular altitude here. I feel I can just do rounds and rounds and rounds.
"I like to break guys down, so the more rounds I have, the better for me."
That's probably not good news for Medina, whom Lee described as "one of those guys that just wants to box and stay in the ring. Whoever they put in front of me I'm ready to fight."
It's all part of Lee's deliberate, long-term career plan.
"A few years from now we'll keep getting wins and I'll be closer to being 20-0 and I think by then I'll be on the undercards for big HBO fights," he said. "And right around that time I think it will be my time - where I'm starting to get ranked, starting to win small belts and becoming a legitimate contender and they'll start throwing my name in for a shot at the title.
"There's the plan. I'm 24-years-old, so there's no rush."