Freddie Roach felt Lee hit to hard and was too big for Miguel Cotto

ANDY Lee is too big for one of the biggest names in boxing, Miguel Cotto, claims the World champions legendary coach Freddie Roach.

The Limierick middleweight and his Team had hoped a dream bout with the WBC middleweight champion and future Hall of Fame fighter could be made.

The Puerto Rican has a December defence lined up and Lee was at one stage the front runner to man the opposite corner in Madison Square Garden after registering an eye catching fifth-round knockout win over John Jackson on the undercard of Cotto’s title win over Sergio Martinez in the Summer.

Speaking after Carl Frampton’s World title win on September 6 the 30 year old former Olympian admitted he was in the frame, but reveal Cotto’s coach Roach felt the Irish man was too big in size and punching power for the World champion.

“The decision was made last week that he’s not going to fight me,” Lee told Irish press.

“Apparently, and I asked could I use this quote, Freddie Roach said, ‘I’m too big and hit too hard’ to get the fight so I’m going to take it as a compliment! I knew it was an outside chance anyway, but HBO had approved me and I was in the frame.”

Lee admitted Cotto would top his wish list, not just because of the four weight world champions stature, but because he feels he has the beatings of a fighter than is small at the weight.

However he isn’t to distraught by news the Cotto fight won’t happen, as he remains confident a second World title tilt is just one or two wins away.

“I’m in the mix, one or two fights away from fighting for a world title. I’ll box again in November, I think,” he added before adding Cotto would prove the ideal foe.

“Cotto, he’s the middleweight champion of the world and, for me, I think he’s one of the easier champions to fight style-wise.”