RingSide Report

World News, Social Issues, Politics, Entertainment and Sports

Is Billy Joe Saunders Finally Getting Respect in the Boxing World?

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

It has been described as the best performance of a British boxer abroad EVER.

In a year, 2017, when we have seen British World Champions lose their titles quicker than ever, it was a very welcome sight when Billy Joe Saunders, 26-0, 12 KO’s, had his hand raised after a master class and whitewash of the very creditable and highly fancied David Lemieux, 38-4, 33 KO’s. This was a fight no more than 8 miles from Lemieux’s house and in front of a partisan crowd that included the bookmakers who made Limieux light favourite! The crowd was so against Billy Joe Saunders they jeered and booed him throughout and then booed his son, Stevie in between rounds when he was shown on the big screen.

Whilst the glow of that win will last for some time, the reality of what comes next is likely to kick in soon as Saunders is pursuing a mega fight with Gennady Golovkin, 37-1-1, 33 KO’s.

Our positivity comes from the fact that Saunders has ended this year in far better shape – physically, mentally and in terms of his reputation – than he began it. January 2017 was a time in Saunder’s life when he thought there might just be the final bell for him.

He had been “forced” to head north to the town of Paisley, just outside of Glasgow, in late 2016 to face Artur Akavov and in front of a derogatory, few hundred people gave one of the most lackluster performances ever witnessed in defence of a world title; we feared the worst.
So, did he.

Then in the mid point of the year he also went through the indignity of a world title fight fall apart – not for the first time – as his opponent, Avtandil Khurtsidze was arrested for alleged links to organised crime.

This time round and prior to the Lemieux fight, he had been in reflective mood in interviews where he openly admitted that at the turn of the year he was out of love with the sport, bent completely out of shape, finding fights he wanted further away with each passing day and just about ready to quit, undefeated and a world champion.

Saunders, a colourful character form the travelling community would have been a loss to British boxing had he done so.

He has lit up the canvass on more than one occasion and provided almost as many soundbites as his traveling companion, Mr Tyson Fury. As such he is a relatively divisive character.
People tend to like him or just dislike him with some intensity; I like him…

Much like I like Fury insofar as what he says is not my cup of tea but that is what makes the sport a sport.

What is inescapable is that he went to Canada and gave Limieux a boxing lesson. The show boating when he searched for where a right hand, launched by Lemieux which had not even grazed his face may have appeared disrespectful, but Saunders has found new love and purpose which is great news for us all. The shut out in Montreal will not last long in the memory but then again, we hope and trust it shall be replaced by something better and far more memorable.

The dash across the Atlantic to face Lemieux was calculated to get American airtime and get their attention; it did.

It was also to goad not only Lemieux but also Golovkin; it did.

It was designed to show that Saunders has the skills and the punch variety to get in the ring with Golovkin and beat him; OK that might be stretching it a bit but he is close…
What it definitely was, was a lesson in reinvention.

Since that dreadful fight and night in Paisley, Billy Joe Saunders has lived the life of a boxer. He swapped trainers and found inspiration in the Sheffield gym of Dominic Ingle. He moved from his home in London, filled with temptation and indulgence, to being in the top floor attic room of a fellow boxer in an area of Sheffield not known for its luxury cars.

Saunders went full Rocky and then made a fool if those who doubted him.

His promoter, the wily old fox, Frank Warren looks like he is going to organize some voluntary defenses prior to the winner of Golovkin/Canelo being given the chance to take Saunder’s WBO belt off him.

Some might fancy their chances but remember that Saunders, at the age of 18, was an Olympian in Beijing in 2008 and though he did not return with a medal, his amateur experience has seen him box all over the world.

His professional experience has matched that drive to succeed and now that he has a rekindled joy at fighting we can all now look forward to 2018 with a WBO middleweight champion who could possibly do what other British fighters have failed to do – beat either Canelo or Golovkin.

[si-contact-form form=’1′]

Leave a Reply