Billy Joe Saunders will take on Canadian slugger, David Lemieux in a couple of hours. The meeting promises to be a classic match-up between the bull, in this case the aggressive, come-forward all action style of Lemieux being pitted against the classic boxing skills and movement of Billy Joe Saunders.
Saunders began by explaining, he is not fazed by the proposition of his first professional engagement on foreign soil.
He was a successful amateur, he’s a 25-0 World Champion as a pro 👑
Tonight he faces his toughest test.
RT 🔃 If you’re backing @bjsaunders_ to put on a masterclass on away soil.#SaundersLemieuxpic.twitter.com/4zMUZJvkhS
— Frank Warren (@FrankWarren) December 16, 2017
“I’m used to fight outside the UK, I’m a traveler of the world. I don’t care if there’s a million people. It’s just me and him in that ring, end of the story. As for the rest, I don’t care.”
Lemieux is the fighter in this match-up, where if the fight does end by knockout it will likely be in his favour. Saunders, however, believes that he will stop the Canadian challenger inside the distance.
“David has no chance of winning, and I’m convinced that he will not make the distance against me.”
“I’m willing to bet part of my purse to charity if I lose and the winner will choose which charity to give it to. I’m not here for the money or anything like that, I’m here to make a statement.”
Touching on his outlandish statements in the lead up to this fight, which include Saunders saying he would put Lemieux out like a candle.
https://twitter.com/boxnationtv/status/942141610804039680
Saunders shared its all just part and parcel of the psychological warfare that comes with fighting and a lot fighters do it in order to seek an edge before squaring off for their battle.
“The angrier you make the bull, the easier you can make it for yourself sometimes,” Saunders added.
“People know I like to get into opponent’s minds sometimes by saying and doing little things.”
“It helps – people say it doesn’t but if I can make him try 10 per cent harder and blow himself out three rounds quicker then I’ve done my job.”
“I know I’ve got to be on form though. It doesn’t really matter what either one of us says, it just matters what we do in the ring on Saturday night.”
Additionally Saunders claimed while his Canadian adversary has shared the ring with more ferocious opposition than anybody Saunders has faced, Saunders argues that Lemieux has not seen anyone as technically proficient as himself.
"A happy fighter is a dangerous fighter, and I can't remember being this happy!"
Billy Joe Saunders promises a classic display with a smile tonight! 😀
🥊 Saunders vs. Lemieux
🕑 2am
📺 BT Sport 2 HD pic.twitter.com/p11AZTGcyR— Boxing on BT Sport 🥊 (@BTSportBoxing) December 16, 2017
“I think he’s probably been in with a lot bigger punchers than me, a lot bigger, but he hasn’t been in the ring with someone as slick as me.”
“He’s used to an American style or even [Gennady] Golovkin’s style, waiting for bombs to come, taking them and tucking up and then coming back.
“He won’t be landing with none of them – he’ll be missing with a load of them and then I’ll be coming back and I’ll break his heart.”
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