Trainer Emanuel Steward says Alexis Hloros is next for Andy Lee

Hloros v Lee at the CoBo Center on March 10

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Andy Lee (27-1, 19 KOS) will fight Alexis Hloros (16-4-2) at the CoBo Center in Detroit on March 10, according to his trainer Emanuel Steward.

Lee will take on the Mount Clemens, Michigan resident in a 10-round contest as he ticks over before what he hopes will be a tilt at the WBC middleweight title, currently held by Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr.

Hloros has a decent record on paper, but on closer inspection the majority of wins have come against fledgling fighters and lower-level opposition. The one name that does jump out from his resume is James Kirkland, who knocked the 32-year-old out in the second round of their fight last July.

Hloros was last in action in October, when he TKO’d Shane Gierke at the Motor City Casino in Detroit.

Steward was color commentating on Chavez’s February 4 win over Marco Antonio Rubio in San Antonio, and after the fight the CEO of Top Rank approached him with a proposition.

“When I was leaving the arena after the Chavez fight Bob Arum called me up and asked me if Andy would be ready for a fight with Julio,” Steward told the Irish Voice on Monday. “I know Bob wants it and we love the fight, so we shook hands.”

Steward is under no illusions as to what Chavez is capable of.

“It would be a challenge and it would be a good fight,” he said of the possible match-up between Lee and Chavez. “I think that Julio has improved a lot, he is tall and physical.”

Chavez had well-documented problems in the lead up to the fight with Rubio.

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The 25-year-old struggled to make weight and was arrested for a DUI in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the fight. Despite those setbacks, he still conquered a very legitimate opponent in Rubio.

“He (Chavez) just overpowered him (Rubio). He found a way to win. The thing I still like about Chavez is that he is a true warrior,” said Steward.

So how does Steward rate his own man’s chances against the steadily ameliorating WBC champion?

“He (Andy) is a bigger guy to deal with,” said Steward, adding that Lee’s extensive amateur experience would stand to him, and that he would test Chavez’s ability to adjust and also provide a very stern test being a southpaw.

Lee told the Irish Voice last week that he felt he would be able to hold Chavez off and box him using his height and reach.

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