I MODEL MYSELF ON HERO KATIE

Pro fighter Lee honouring his mum's memory with charity work

- SIOBHAN O'CONNOR

A PROFESSIONAL boxer wants to follow in the footsteps of his hero Katie Taylor - and he's doing it in memory of his mum.

Limerick native Lee Reeves said it would be a "dream come true" to become world champ and honour his mother Cathy who died by suicide 10 years ago.

The southpaw defeated Mexican fighter Sebastian Diaz Maldonado to become the North American Boxing Federation light welterweight champion last year.

Lee, 27, told the Irish Sunday Mirror: "It would be a dream come true to be the champion of the world for my mam, Cathy.

"She was my biggest supporter.

Before a fight I'd listen to her and was ready to run through walls after her pep talk.

"I want to give my sisters the life they never dreamed they could have.

"Katie Taylor is the best Irish sportsperson I've ever seen.

EXPLOSIVE

"I've seen a lot of Katie's explosive strength conditioning that she forged in America, I implement some of that into my own training." The devoted fighter opened up on the heartbreak of losing his mother when he was just 17.