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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Jason Quigley on "massive" boost to have Andy Lee in his corner for Stateside return

Jason Quigley says it means everything to have Andy Lee back in his corner for his Stateside return next week.

Former world champ Lee started work with Quigley in 2019 but wasn't there for his shot at the WBO middleweight title in November 2021, when he was stopped by reigning champ Demetrius Andrade in the second round in Manchester, New Hampshire.

That led to a 17-month hiatus in the Donegal fighter's career - he only returned to action in April with a victory at the National Stadium.

READ MORE: Jason Quigley victorious on Irish return

However Quigley is keen to upset the odds and earn another world title shot. To do that, he will have to overcome unbeaten Puerto Rican prospect Edgar Berlanga in a NABO super-middleweight title bout at Madison Square Garden on Sunday week.

"The main man in the corner is going to be Andy Lee, we have got visas, and everything taken care of this time around," said the 32-year-old.

"One of the terms and conditions for this fight was that we made sure that the visa was approved and Matchroom did everything they could to get the visa approved.

"We are good to go and we are ready to rock and rock. Andy is going to be my main man in the corner. It's massive. It is huge.

Jason Quigley celebrates with his coach Andy Lee as the new WBO-NABO Middleweight champion after beating Shane Mosley Jr in Las Vegas in May 2021 (©INPHO/Tom Hogan)

"I have great faith, great belief, great trust and a great relationship with Andy and to have that man in my corner…we have done everything in the past three or four years together, drilling techniques, games plans, creating a relationship, creating a bond and to have that man in your corner is massive.

"There's no other way to describe it. It is going to be massive to have him there the whole week and in the corner on fight night."

Quigley is determined to emulate the journey taken by his mentor and trainer Lee - who lost to Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in 2012 before earning a world belt in his stoppage win over Matt Korobov two years later.

He said: "As a human being we like to see things to believe them and there can be so many fighters out there from America, from England, from here, there and everywhere and you can look at them and be like, 'Ah, they were world champion', or 'they were beat and came back and done it'.

"I'm living every day with a man right in front of me who has done all of that.

"It's not just a story - it's not just somebody else’s story. I'm walking, running, going for dips in the water, I'm in the gym, in the ring, doing pads, sparring - doing everything with a man that has gone through everything I have gone through.

"It is right there walking, talking, breathing in front of me that it is possible.

"There's no better incentive and there's no better belief to know that you can do it than to have the man who has done it training you. It's quality."

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