By James Slater: Back when they met in March of 2008, Andy Lee and Bryan Vera gave us a great fight and also a big upset. Former “Contender” Vera rose from an early knockdown to TKO the unbeaten Emanuel Steward-trained prospect in a slugfest. Ever since, fans have been wondering if the two middleweights would ever meet again.
Well, according to the man with all the news, Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, the return is official for October 1st on the under-card of the Sergio Martinez-Darren Barker world middleweight title fight. HBO will televise.
Since upsetting 27-year-old Lee by way of that 7th-round TKO, 29-year-old Vera has enjoyed mixed fortunes. Three straight losses followed his big win – to the unbeaten trio that was James Kirkland, Craig McEwan and Isaac Rodriguez – before the tough Texan regrouped with victories over Sebastian Demers and then, in another big upset, Sergio Mora. The win over “The Latin Snake” really showed what a good fighter Vera can be and, shortly after his June 2011 win over Eloy Suarez, he was snatched up by top promoter Lou DiBella.
19-5(12) overall, Vera’s confidence is on something of a high right now; largely due to the Feb. 2011 win over Mora. Can he repeat his win over Irishman Lee though?
Lee, taller than Vera at 6’2” to 5’11” and also a southpaw, has that sole loss on his record and since then he has won eleven straight. For quite a while, Lee has been asking for a chance at revenge (and Vera also was keen on a sequel) and he is arguably at his peak right about now. But as impressive as he’s looked in gaining wins over guys like Willie Gibbs and McEwan (who beat Vera on points), Lee may find that Vera simply has his number.
No-one gets a win over Vera without going through a very tough time, and we can almost certainly expect a great action fight on October 1st. Vera showed some great moves as well as his usual toughness against former titlist Mora, and his punches looked fresh and full of pop. Lee may be the younger man who has been in less wars, but he will underestimate Vera at his peril. Some say Lee did just that in 2008, and he will surely not make the same mistake again.
Lee struck first in the first fight, decking Vera in the 1st, and he may look to start fast again. But Vera will be as pumped up for this fight as never before seeing how he is on the verge of making very big money. I see another slugfest, with Vera making Lee fight that way. A distance fight is a possibility, barring facial injuries, but I see another late-rounds TKO win for the arguably mentally stronger Vera.
Perhaps this rematch will be even better than that night’s main event?