Have book smarts, will box

Watch the Notre Dame finance grad who fights to be like Mike Tyson

Mike Lee during his pro fight debut last May.
The dynamic duo of Ronnie Shields and Mike Lee.
Mike Lee trains at Savannah Boxing Club in Sharpstown.
Photo by Carolina Astrain
Mike Lee graduated from Notre Dame with a degree in finance, but dove intoboxing instead.
Photo by Carolina Astrain
Ronnie Shields has trained lots of champs, including Mike Tyson.
Photo by Carolina Astrain
The Savannah Boxing Club is on 6909 Ashcroft.

Step One: Get finance degree from the University of Notre Dame.

Step Two: Sign a contract with Top Rank, a professional boxing promotions company.

Wait a second, what?

This might sound like a parent’s worst fear, but it’s actually all going well for Mike Lee.

Lee, 23, might seem a bit too old to be in the infant stages of his professional boxing career, but his trainer Ronnie Shields has the utmost confidence in him. Shields trains Lee out of Savannah Boxing Club in Sharpstown, where the famous trainer also teaches classes that help keep kids off the street.

Shields, formally a trainer for the likes of the fearsome Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, hooked up with Lee after receiving a late night phone call from Shelly Finkel, who also worked with Tyson. Finkel raved to Sheilds about Lee's 16 amateur undefeated fights. Shields then spoke to Lee and asked him how soon he could get himself from Chicago to Houston to talk in person.

“Tomorrow," Lee said to Shields' surprise.

Only a matter of months later, Lee has become Shields’ main focus. On Saturday, the Houston-based Lee will fight on the undercard of the Manny Pacquiao vs. Antonio Margarito bout for the super welterweight championship at Jerry Jones' gleaming sports palace, Cowboys Stadium.

So instead of strutting his blue-eyed self on the cemented strips of Wall Street, making big bank in a designer suit, you can find Lee (who comes in with a 2-0 record as a pro) giving his opponent Keith Debow of St. Louis a flurry of jabs in a 175-pound division matchup.

And you don't even need to buy the big ticket pay-per-view card to watch Houston's finance fighter. Lee's bout will be streamed live on Top Rank’s website around 7:30 p.m. Saturday night.

Hometown glory just got a little sweeter.

unspecified

J.J. in a blazer

Rice kick offs Houston World Cup hosting with J.J. Watt podcast recording

Houston, 5th annual JJ Watt Charity Classic, May 2017, J.J. Watt in baseball uniform

Courtesy photo

undefined

Houston’s Rice University will host a special event to celebrate 99 days until the World Cup kicks off. Men in Blazers, one of the most popular soccer podcasts in the world, will record an episode at the school with special guest J.J. Watt.

The recording is the first endeavor in Rice’s role as an Official Houston World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter, the only higher education in Houston to earn the designation. The campus will host a number of events both before and during the tournament to showcase Houston to a worldwide audience. Plans call for watch parties at Tudor Fieldhouse and the Ion, hosting soccer clinics and community, and creating volunteer and experiential learning opportunities for students.

“The FIFA World Cup represents the very best of global sport, and Rice Athletics is thrilled to help welcome the world to Houston,” said Tommy McClelland, vice president and director of athletics. “We are excited to welcome soccer fans to Tudor Fieldhouse and the Ion District to celebrate the ‘beautiful game’ at its highest level. These events allow us to showcase our campus and students while elevating interest in the sport of soccer across Houston and bringing our community together around an unforgettable global moment.”

Turning to the Men in Blazers podcast, it will be recorded on Wednesday, March 4. Founder Roger Bennett will be joined by a number of guests, including Houston Texans legend J.J. Watt, who, when he’s not serving as an NFL analyst on CBS, is also a minority owner of two soccer franchises, Burnley F.C and RCD Espanyol de Barcelona. Tickets, $25, are available on the Men in Blazers website.

“Houston is a city that understands global culture, community and the unifying power of soccer,” said Bennett said in a statement. “As we celebrate 99 Days Out from this massive event, we’re thrilled to celebrate this moment with the fans of Houston and have them join us along this beautiful journey of discussing the world’s game in a unique way that taps into what makes Houston such a compelling city for the tournament.”

The World Cup will come to Houston from June 14 - July 4 with seven matches, including five in the group stage and one each in the round of 32 and the round of 16. Find more details about the tournament and local celebrations at the official FIFA World Cup 2026 Houston Host Committee website.

world cup celebrities jj watt podcasts rice university