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Billy Joe Saunders: ‘Being called a two-weight world champion sounds nice’

Saunders will face Shefat Isufi this weekend for the vacant WBO 168lb world title.

Josh Warrington v Carl Frampton - IBF World Featherweight Title Fight Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Wil Esco is an assistant editor of Bad Left Hook and has been covering boxing for SB Nation since 2014.

When Billy Joe Saunders received official confirmation that his fight against Shefat Isufi this weekend would be elevated to a full world title fight for the WBO’s vacant belt, Saunders said his patience has paid off.

Saunders recently elected to move up a division to super middleweight after complaining that it was too hard for him to secure worthwhile fights at middleweight. But with Saunders being a former middleweight titleholder, now seeking yet another world title up the ladder, Saunders says this is a step towards cementing his legacy.

“Being called a two-weight world champion sounds nice. It’s good for the history books.

“Boxing is a business, but to be a two-weight world champion is something you dream of growing up and here is my chance to achieve it.”

Saunders continued by acknowledging that there is a little pressure on him to perform this weekend, being that he’s fully expected to handle the little-known Isufi, but that it’s nothing that he can’t deal with. And if a fighter of Saunders’ caliber proves unable to deal with someone like Isufi in the ring, well, let’s just say his career prospects at 168lbs doesn’t look so good.

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