Billy Joe Saunders: I’m ready for Golovkin or Canelo
Billy Joe Saunders is confident that he’s got the goods to fight the division’s top names.
Billy Joe Saunders went into hostile territory on Saturday night to dominate David Lemieux and retain the WBO middleweight title, and he was all smiles after the fight — and says he’s ready to challenge anyone, including Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez.
“I’m the best now. That’s what [the victory] means,” he said. “I’m world champion, performing like a world champion. Golovkin or Canelo, I’m ready. Don’t call me out when I’m fat and unfit and not in love with boxing. Fight me now, when I love boxing and I’m performing. Now fight me.”
Saunders (26-0, 12 KO) also reminded media and fans that he predicted what would happen against Lemieux (38-4, 33 KO).
“Did I not tell you it was gonna be an easy fight? I told you to bet on it, and I told you what I was gonna do. I said he would not hit me, and he didn’t hit me,” he said.
Trainer Dominic Ingle was also, as you’d expect, quite happy with his fighter’s performance.
“Billy’s got the boxing ability. Sometimes, he gets carried away, doesn’t stick to the plan. Today was punch perfect,” Ingle said. “We came into the backyard, we got the decision. Lemieux has got the power, he’s got the shots, but you’ve got to hit somebody to hurt them, and tonight he didn’t hit Billy with anything of any significance.”
As for Lemieux complaining that Saunders “ran,” the titleholder brushed that off.
“It’s the bull and the matador. I’m not going to stand in front of the bull once I’m winning everything and let him come in and ram me,” he said. “Just twist and turn him, broke him down little by little, and in the end, his heart didn’t hold up.”
Asked what’s up next for him, Saunders kept it simple.
“A good Christmas,” he said. “I’ve been away for six months, I’ve only had two weeks, three weeks home, tops. I just want to chill out and have a good Christmas.”
He did then indicate that he would have a “sex party” in Montreal.