Mike Lee (boxer)

Lee at a Chicago Golden Gloves competition in 2009
Lee at Barclay's Center following KO of Joe Gardner on Jan. 16, 2016.

Mike Lee (born 1987 in Wheaton, Illinois) is an American professional boxer in the light heavyweight class. He turned pro in February 2010.

Background

Lee is a 2005 graduate of Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois where he was all conference linebacker in the Catholic League. Lee spent his freshman year at the University of Missouri and then transferred to the University of Notre Dame in 2006 and graduated with a 3.8 GPA in 2009 with a degree in finance from Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.[1] He was offered jobs on Wall Street. Lee says, "I relax by watching CNBC, and I like to read the Wall Street Journal."[2]

Amateur career

Lee was introduced to the sport at age 16, when his cousin, who is an amateur boxer, took him to the Windy City Gym.[3]

Notre Dame does not have an intercollegiate boxing team. However, Lee won the Bengal Bouts, an all campus intramural boxing tournament each of the three years that he attended the school.

During Lee's sophomore year, he won the 175-pound crown in a technical knockout that was called in the third round. In his junior year he was named junior captain and defended his title. Lee was named Boxer of the Year in his junior year, a feat that is typically reserved for a senior. Lee was named boxing team captain his senior year where he again won his third straight title in the Bengal Bouts.

Lee competed in the 2009 Chicago Golden Gloves competition in the sub-novice class, where Lee went undefeated in four matches, winning his class.[4] In one memorable bout, Lee broke his opponents ribs thus immediately stopping the fight.

Pro career

Lee is the current IBF-USBA Light Heavyweight champion and is ranked in the top 15 of the light heavyweight world rankings.[5] He trains with Jamal Abdullah at the famed Wild Card West Boxing Gym in Santa Monica, California. Prior to being in Los Angeles, CA full-time, Lee was in Houston, TX working with legendary trainer Ronnie Shields.[6][7]

Lee won his professional debut on May 29, 2010 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago, in a four round unanimous decision over Emmett Woods. All three judges scored the fight 40-36, with Lee winning all four rounds on all judges cards.[8] On September 11, 2010, at the Palms Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, Lee defeated Alex Rivera at 2:59 of the second round.[9][10] Lee received national attention through his endorsement contract with Subway that resulted in his appearance in a 2013 Super Bowl television commercial.

Following Lee's knockout of Tayler Seever in August 2012, Lee did not fight again until April 2014, citing lower back issues as well as problems with his jaw stemming from use of Invisalign. Lee won his return to the ring - a sixth round TKO against Peter Lewison[11]

On September 30, 2016 Lee won a ten round unanimous decision over Chris Traietti (21-4) at Chicago's UIC Forum to win the USBA-IBF Championship title. The scores were 98-91, 99-90, 99-90.[12] The victory made Lee "the first fighter from Notre Dame’s legendary amateur boxing program to win a title in the professional ranks."[13]

Professional record

20 Wins (11 Knockouts), 0 Losses, 0 Draws
Res. Record Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Venue and Location Notes
Win20-0United States Aaron Quattrocchi TKO12017-09-15Illinois The Dome at the Ballpark, Rosemont, Illinois, United States
Win19-0United States Justin Thomas MD82017-02-16California The Hangar, Costa Mesa, California, United States
Win18-0United States Chris Traetti UD102016-09-30Illinois UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Win17-0United States Mike Snider UD82016-06-03New York (state) Resorts World Casino, Queens, New York, United States
Win16-0United States Joe Gardner TKO32016-01-16New York (state) Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York, United States
Win15-0United States Mike Sawyer TKO12015-12-12Nebraska Ramada Hotel & Convention Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Win14-0United States Gary Tapusoa TKO22015-02-14New York (state) Resorts World Casino, Queens, New York, United States
Win13-0United States Paul Gonsalves MD62014-07-25Illinois UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Win12-0Cayman Islands Peter Lewison TKO62014-04-04Pennsylvania Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Win11-0United States Paul Harness UD42012-09-15Nevada Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win10-0United States Tyler Seever KO2 (6), 1:352012-08-04Nevada Texas Station, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win9-0Mexico Eliseo Durazo UD62012-06-08Nevada Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas), Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Win8-0United States Allen Medina TKO4 (4), 0:552011-12-03New York (state) Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, United States
Win7-0United States Jacob Stiers UD42011-09-16Indiana Joyce Center, University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, United States
Win6-0United States Michael Birthmark TKO3 (4), 2:542011-07-09California Home Depot Center in Carson, California, United States
Win5-0United States Gilbert Gastelum MD42011-05-06Nevada Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Paradise, Nevada, United States
Win4-0United States Pablo Gomez KO1 (4), 2:172011-02-26Nevada The Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada, United States
Win3-0United States Keith Debow KO1 (4), 1:332010-12-13Texas Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas, United States
Win2-0United States Alex Rivera TKO2 (4), 2:592010-09-11Nevada The Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada, United States
Win1-0United States Emmett WoodsUD42010-05-29Illinois UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Charity work

In the summer of 2008 Lee went to Bangladesh to see first hand how the money raised during the Bengal Bouts is used to aid people of all different ages including the construction of an entire school for children. Lee has established a foundation to help fund the Holy Cross Missions of Bangladesh where a portion of his purse money will be donated. In partnership with Champions for Children, he donated two ringside seats plus travel expenses for his November 2010 fight. The charity benefits Children’s Memorial Hospital.[14]

On September 16, 2011, Lee headlined a professional boxing event at The University of Notre Dame inside the Purcell Pavilion in the Joyce Center.

The Mike Lee Foundation pledged all profits from this event to the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, the Robinson Community Learning Center in South Bend and the Kelly Cares Foundation, headed by Coach Brian Kelly of the Fighting Irish Football Team.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Rozner, Barry (5 May 2011). "Wheaton boxer, N.D. grad Lee hits spotlight". Daily Herald. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  2. ↑ Mulvaney, Kieran (November 10, 2010). "Lee takes road less traveled through boxing". Espn.com. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
  3. ↑ Velin, Bob (12 November 2010). "Wall Street can wait: Mike Lee ready to make his mark in the ring". USA Today. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
  4. ↑ "2009 Chicago Golden Gloves Results". Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2011-01-10. (source lists four matches, but Lee's press releases claim five)
  5. ↑ WNDU. "ND Alum Mike Lee boxes his way to IBF-USBA Light Heavyweight title". Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  6. ↑ "Mike Lee Returns To The Ring on February 16 in Costa Mesa - Boxing News". www.boxingscene.com. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  7. ↑ "Chat with Mike Lee". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  8. ↑ "Vitali continues Klitschko dominance". May 31, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
  9. ↑ "Mike Lee". Top Rank Boxing. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
  10. ↑ Oberhelman, Dave (September 8, 2010). "And in this corner, Wheaton's Mike Lee". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
  11. ↑ "Mike Lee Talks Comeback, New Trainer, Top Rank Parting". Boxingscene. April 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Mike Lee Drops, Outworks Chris Traietti To Grab Clear Decision - Boxing News". www.boxingscene.com. Retrieved 2017-05-18.
  13. ↑ "Mike Lee Returns To The Ring on February 16 in Costa Mesa - Boxing News". www.boxingscene.com. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
  14. ↑ Young, Tim (November 11, 2010). "Wheaton boxer on big stage in Texas". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2011-01-12.
  15. ↑ Gastelum, Andrew (July 11, 2011). "Notre Dame grad Mike Lee stays unbeaten with knockout win". The Observer. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved 2011-07-21.
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