Connect with us

Featured Articles

If Billy Joe Saunders Is Serious, Then He Should Fight Golovkin Next

Published

on

bjsaunders 7e7aa

WBO World Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders has an April 30th title defense coming up against Max Bursak at the Copper Box in London. For Saunders, it will be the first defense of the belt he took from Andy Lee back in December of last year and he enters the fight a wide -1200 betting favorite, with Bursak returning at +775.

Should Billy Joe Saunders get by this April date with his belt as expected, Saunders could see himself coming in right behind division top-guns Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin at the top of the Middleweight division. Saunders will be a man with options, some very lucrative, and it will be interesting to see in which direction he goes.

Saunders is 23-0 and at 26 years old he has a bright future. For the American public who may not be too familiar with Saunders, he comes from a similar “traveler” family background as Tyson Fury, and he represented Great Britain at the 2008 London Olympics. He has a good following in England, and as such, he will likely defend the belt at home on most occasions, drawing the opponents in with the promise of a payday.

In the build up to the upcoming Bursak fight, Saunders has been talking about facing Gennady Golovkin sometime in the summer. If he is serious, the fight will likely go down because a fight in the United Kingdom is going to be very lucrative for Golovkin. But Saunders has talked Golovkin before. Though the American market still commands the most attention and respect and dishes out the biggest paydays, the British market has several factors that allow it to compete including a much more fervent, die hard audience, the access to 80,000 seat soccer stadiums and the strength of the pound. For a one time deal, Golovkin could make a fortune.

Even before Saunders' recent chatter, during the build-up to the match with Andy Lee that saw Saunders emerge with the world title, Saunders’ already had a reputation as a “talker”. He is not quite as brash as Tyson Fury, but that is the type of confidence Saunders has in what he does. That he is still completely unproven on a world level does not appear to faze him.

WBA World Middleweight Champion Daniel Jacobs attended the Saunders-Lee fight, and had Lee won, a showdown with Jacobs was considered practically a done deal. Saunders deserves credit for spoiling Lee’s party, but Saunders rarely mentioned Jacobs as a potential dance partner in the aftermath. Jacobs last fought four months ago, and he has nothing on the schedule to this day. He also ranked ahead of Saunders by the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a match between the two would introduce Saunders to the American market. Billy Joe however, does not seem interested.

Though he doesn’t have much to say about Jacobs, he did call out Golovkin after winning the belt. It was enough to get the Kazakh head-hunter's attention, but Saunders quickly made himself irrelevant by asking for 5 million pounds and Golovkin opted for his mandatory challenge against Dominic Wade on April 23rd. Saunders signed to fight Bursak, and the rest is history.

Until this past week when Saunders went ahead and mentioned Golovkin again. The appeal of a fight in England, champion vs champion, could potentially fill a stadium and would certainly be a big draw. The summer date with Golovkin was on Saunders' mind. Is he serious, or is he just talking?

Saunders will have choices. A re-match with rival Chris Eubank Jr would be big money, and Eubank Jr brings with him an “interim” belt to his WBO belt. The first bout resulted in a narrow split decision win for Saunders, who faired better in the early going before fading so the second generation fighter is most certainly a threat. Still, he is no Golovkin.

There was no real reason to bring up Golovkin’s name yet again, especially if Saunders is not serious about fighting him. The bottom line is Golovkin is the top gun in the division and Saunders has the capability of drawing him into a fight on his home turf. No one else has that advantage, and Saunders has talked about invoking it.

Interestingly, the date of Triple G’s next fight is a week before Saunders fights with Bursak, which would leave their calendars in synchronicity for an August or September showdown. Now Saunders has to take it beyond talk or risk turning into the British version of Juergen Braehmer. He has to make the fight happen.

 

 

Comment on this article

Share The Sweet Science experience!
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Vito-Mielnicki-Whitewashes-Kamil-Gardzielik-Before-the-Home-Folks-in-Newark
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Vito Mielnicki Jr Whitewashes Kamil Gardzielik Before the Home Folks in Newark

Results-and-Recaps-from-New-York-Where-Taylor-edged-Serrano-Once-Again
Featured Articles4 days ago

Results and Recaps from New York Where Taylor Edged Serrano Once Again

From-a-Sympathetic-Figure-to-a-Pariah-The Travails-of-Julio-Cesar-Chavez-Jr
Featured Articles1 week ago

From a Sympathetic Figure to a Pariah: The Travails of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr

Results-and-Recaps-from-NYC-where-Hamzah-Sheeraz-was-Spectacular
Featured Articles3 days ago

Results and Recaps from NYC where Hamzah Sheeraz was Spectacular

Catching-Up-with-Clay-Moyle-Who-Talks-About-His-Massive-Collection-of-Boxing-Books
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Catching Up with Clay Moyle Who Talks About His Massive Collection of Boxing Books

Catterall-vs-Eubank-Ends-Prematurely-Catterall-Wins-a-Technical-Decision
Featured Articles1 week ago

Catterall vs Eubank Ends Prematurely; Catterall Wins a Technical Decision

More-Medals-for-Hawaii's-Patricio-Family-at-USA-Boxing's-Summer-Festival
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

More Medals for Hawaii’s Patricio Family at the USA Boxing Summer Festival

Philadelphia-Welterweight-Gil-Turner-a-Phenom-Now-Rests-in-an-Unmarked-Grave
Featured Articles4 days ago

Philadelphia Welterweight Gil Turner, a Phenom, Now Rests in an Unmarked Grave

Callum-Walsh-Umar-Dzambekov-and-Cain-Sandoval-Remain-Unbeaten-at-Santa-Ynez
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Callum Walsh, Umar Dzambekov and Cain Sandoval Remain Unbeaten at Santa Ynez

Jake-Paul-Outpoints-Julio-Cesar-Chavez-Jr-plus-Other-Results-from-Anaheim
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Jake Paul Outpoints Julio Cesar Chavez Jr plus Other Results from Anaheim

A-Fight-Fan-and-Teremoana-Samson-Junior-Leon-Teremoana
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

A Fight Fan and Teremoana Samson Junior Leon Teremoana

Avila-Perspective-Chap-333-Jake-Paul-JC-Chavez-Jr-Zurdo-and-More
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 333: Jake Paul, JC Chavez Jr, Zurdo and More

A-Boxing-Card-in-Alabama-Goes-Pfft-A-True-Tale-from-the-Underbelly-of-the-Sweet-Science
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

A Boxing Card in Alabama Goes Pfft: A True Tale from the Underbelly of The Sweet Science

Avila-Perspecrive-Chap-334-Back-to-Back-Boxing-Cards-in-the-Big-Apple
Featured Articles5 days ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 334: Back-to-Back Boxing Cards in the Big Apple

Paro
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Liam Paro Returns with a Flourish on Wednesday’s ‘No Limit’ Card in Queensland

Avila-Perspective-Chap-331-Callum-Walsh-Brian-Norman-Galal-Yafai-and-More
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 331: Callum Walsh, Brian Norman, Galal Yafai and More

A-Closer-Look-at-Mario-Barrios-Poised-to-Wreck-the-Comeback-of-a-Legend
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

A Closer Look at Mario Barrios, Poised to Wreck the Comeback of a Legend

Brian-Norman-Jr-Bombs-Out-Jin-Sasaki-with-a-Frightful-Left-Hook
Featured Articles4 weeks ago

Brian Norman Jr Bombs Out Jin Sasaki with a Frightful Left Hook

When-Boxing-Was-Big-on-the-Fourth-of-July-A-TSS-Classic
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

When Boxing was Big on the Fourth of July: A TSS Classic

Mbilli-Blasts-Out-Sulecki-in-Quebec-Wilder-TKOs-Herndon-in-Wichita
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Mbilli Blasts Out Sulecki in Quebec; Wilder TKOs Herndon in Wichita

Gibbons
Featured Articles17 hours ago

From the Boondocks to the Big Time, The Wild Saga of Manny Pacquiao’s Sidekick Sean Gibbons

Results-and-Recaps-from-NYC-where-Hamzah-Sheeraz-was-Spectacular
Featured Articles3 days ago

Results and Recaps from NYC where Hamzah Sheeraz was Spectacular

Results-and-Recaps-from-New-York-Where-Taylor-edged-Serrano-Once-Again
Featured Articles4 days ago

Results and Recaps from New York Where Taylor Edged Serrano Once Again

Philadelphia-Welterweight-Gil-Turner-a-Phenom-Now-Rests-in-an-Unmarked-Grave
Featured Articles4 days ago

Philadelphia Welterweight Gil Turner, a Phenom, Now Rests in an Unmarked Grave

Avila-Perspecrive-Chap-334-Back-to-Back-Boxing-Cards-in-the-Big-Apple
Featured Articles5 days ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 334: Back-to-Back Boxing Cards in the Big Apple

From-a-Sympathetic-Figure-to-a-Pariah-The Travails-of-Julio-Cesar-Chavez-Jr
Featured Articles1 week ago

From a Sympathetic Figure to a Pariah: The Travails of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr

Catterall-vs-Eubank-Ends-Prematurely-Catterall-Wins-a-Technical-Decision
Featured Articles1 week ago

Catterall vs Eubank Ends Prematurely; Catterall Wins a Technical Decision

Avila-Perspective-Chap-333-Jake-Paul-JC-Chavez-Jr-Zurdo-and-More
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 333: Jake Paul, JC Chavez Jr, Zurdo and More

When-Boxing-Was-Big-on-the-Fourth-of-July-A-TSS-Classic
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

When Boxing was Big on the Fourth of July: A TSS Classic

A-Boxing-Card-in-Alabama-Goes-Pfft-A-True-Tale-from-the-Underbelly-of-the-Sweet-Science
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

A Boxing Card in Alabama Goes Pfft: A True Tale from the Underbelly of The Sweet Science

Mexico's-Francisco-Rodriguez-Jr-is-the-TSS-Fighter-of-the-Month-for-June
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Mexico’s Francisco Rodriguez Jr is the TSS Fighter of the Month for June

Jake-Paul-Outpoints-Julio-Cesar-Chavez-Jr-plus-Other-Results-from-Anaheim
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Jake Paul Outpoints Julio Cesar Chavez Jr plus Other Results from Anaheim

Holly-Holm-Joshua-Edwards-and-Rene-Alvarado-Sparkle-on-the-Paul-Chavez-Undercard
Featured Articles2 weeks ago

Holly Holm, Joshua Edwards, and Rene Alvarado Sparkle on the Paul-Chavez Undercard

Mbilli-Blasts-Out-Sulecki-in-Quebec-Wilder-TKOs-Herndon-in-Wichita
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Mbilli Blasts Out Sulecki in Quebec; Wilder TKOs Herndon in Wichita

Avila-Perspective-Chap-332-Jake-Paul-vs-Chavez-Jr-plus-Mbilli-Deontay-and-More
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Avila Perspective, Chap. 332: Jake Paul vs Chavez Jr., plus Mbilli, Deontay and More

A-Closer-Look-at-Mario-Barrios-Poised-to-Wreck-the-Comeback-of-a-Legend
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

A Closer Look at Mario Barrios, Poised to Wreck the Comeback of a Legend

Paro
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Liam Paro Returns with a Flourish on Wednesday’s ‘No Limit’ Card in Queensland

More-Medals-for-Hawaii's-Patricio-Family-at-USA-Boxing's-Summer-Festival
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

More Medals for Hawaii’s Patricio Family at the USA Boxing Summer Festival

Callum-Walsh-Umar-Dzambekov-and-Cain-Sandoval-Remain-Unbeaten-at-Santa-Ynez
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Callum Walsh, Umar Dzambekov and Cain Sandoval Remain Unbeaten at Santa Ynez

Vito-Mielnicki-Whitewashes-Kamil-Gardzielik-Before-the-Home-Folks-in-Newark
Featured Articles3 weeks ago

Vito Mielnicki Jr Whitewashes Kamil Gardzielik Before the Home Folks in Newark

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending