Former two-division world champion, Billy Joe Saunders, has defended his criticism of Daniel Dubois for ‘quitting’ against Oleksandr Usyk, with some labelling him a hypocrite after staying on his stool in his only career defeat against Saul Canelo Alvarez.
Saunders retired in between the eighth and ninth round against Canelo in Texas after suffering a broken orbital bone . The former middleweight and super-middleweight champion had previously ‘had a pop’ at Dubois, who took a knee against both Joe Joyce, also from an eye injury.
In an interview on the Up Front podcast , Saunders explained how his trainers would not let him continue, as opposed to Dubois who appeared to give up of his own accord.
“When I went back to the corner, Ben [Davison] said ‘look your eye has gone…’ and I said ‘no, I am alright, I will switch orthodox’ and Mark Tibbs went ‘one more round I am going to give you’.”
“I remember Ben grabbing me and Ben looked at Mark and went ‘Billy Joe, your eye is gone, if we stop it now we can get a rematch. I am not letting you do it [go out for another round]’.”
“I had a pop at Daniel Dubois, but there is a difference. I could have easily went onto one knee there and not got up. I can honestly say, I did have a pop at him and I did put myself into that position [for criticism], but knowing what I know in the corner, when people slag you off, I think people can have their opinion, my team and that know what is what.”
Saunders is now eyeing a comeback after two-and-a-half years away from the ring, pencilling in a fight date before the end of the year.