Billy Joe Saunders is back in the media following the announcement of his return to the ring later in the year, and he has had his say on what might happen should Tyson Fury ever face off in the ring with fellow Brit, Anthony Joshua.
Tricky southpaw Saunders hasn’t fought since a crushing loss to Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez back in May of 2021. At that point he had already become the first fighter from the Travelling community to win world championships in two weight classes.
First came the WBO middleweight title in 2015, and then the WBO super-middleweight title in 2019 which he went on to lose to Canelo.
For his return, he has said he won’t rush things but wants to have some come back for the big fights and will do so under the stewardship of Matchroom and Eddie Hearn . Though nothing has yet been confirmed, December has been mooted as a possible date for his first fight back.
Two other men who could be fighting that month are Fury and Joshua. The former could be in an undisputed title bout with Oleksandr Usyk, and it’s understood that ‘AJ’s team are considering a fight to keep him ticking over as negotiations with Deontay Wilder continue.
Should the pair keep winning, an all-British affair is something fans want to see.
Speaking to Upfront with Simon Jordan, the now 34-year-old Saunders came down on the side of his friend, ‘The Gypsy King.’
“I think [Fury] beats Anthony. I really rate Anthony Joshua. But he lets himself down.”
The hose then suggested some people think Joshua no longer has what it takes to win the big fights because he has got too cautious. Saunders agreed, reluctantly.
“I would love for him to prove me but I think the same. A fighter knows when that has happened. I think he knows.”
There would be no better way than to prove he still has ‘it’ by facing off with hard-hitting Wilder, although Filip Hrgovic has also entered the frame as a potential opponent.