Billy Joe Saunders is still in search of a career-defining super-fight.
Having missed out on a May clash with Canelo Alvarez after the intervention of the Coronavirus, the gifted Saunders has now turned his attentions to Gennady Golovkin.
But Saunders, who defends his WBO 168lbs crown against Martin Murray at the SSE Arena, Wembley, on Friday, believes ‘GGG’ has seen better days and may not fancy a fight with a comparatively fresher fighter like himself.
“You’ve got to look at his age creeping in and how he fights with his face,” Saunders told Sky Sports.
“I’ve had 29 fights, but out of them 29 fights, I have I been hit by 10 clean punches. Does he want somebody with not many miles on the clock, good with his feet, southpaw, slick, around him at that age?
“If I was in his shoes, probably not, but you’ve got to take your hat off to him. He has done really well for himself, he has been successful.
“I can’t run him down for saying he is ducking Billy Joe Saunders or ducking this man and that man. He is done everything asked of him and I can only respect that.”
Fellow Matchroom fighter Callum Smith is now facing Mexican superstar Canelo on December 19 and Saunders (29-0, 14 KOs) believes the Scouser can spring the upset, but insists he wouldn’t have taken the fight on such relatively short notice.
“I really hope he does the job,” said Saunders. “Listen, I like Callum, he’s a great fighter and I think he’s got the tools in his toolbox to do the job, if the gameplan is right.
“[But] it’s a hard job just to get sprung on you, four, five weeks before. You’re getting a lottery ticket, but sometimes you’ve got to go in there wanting the win more than what the money is. With me, I’d let you keep the money and let me win, than go in there not prepared right.
“It sounds stupid. You couldn’t give me £100m to go in there and lose. That’s not in me. I’m not made like that. If I’m not 100 per cent right, then I’m not going to put everything I’ve worked all my life for on the line.”
Main image: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing.