In this video interview caught by Fight Hub TV, Billy Joe Saunders discusses his recent signing with Matchroom and what the landscape looks like for him now that he has a better chance of landing big fights around his weight class...
Saunders on if leaving promoter Frank Warren was an obvious move to make:
“Yeah because it’s one of them that, for me nobody could've done a better job than what Frank did — British, Commonwealth, European, all the way through two-weight world champion. But it was just for the fact that the bigger fights on a different network. And fair play to Frank and MTK Global, we all got together and Frank wanted the best for me and went ‘no problem.’ So we’re still great mates, built a brilliant relationship over the decade, and we still remain friends.”
On it being a rare thing for fighters and promoters to split amicably:
“I rate Frank as one of the best promoters in the world, and I’ve always said that...for me I’m at that weight where he hasn’t got no say because of the rivalry with Matchroom and Frank Warren and all the big names in my weight is on Matchroom and DAZN.”
On who his next three fights would be against if he could choose anyone:
“Fairly, give me a fair fight — beat Golovkin, beat Canelo, beat Smith...
“I’ll go back to whatever weight they wanna fight at, as long as they’re the same weight as me getting in that ring, getting on them scales, I’m willing to do that.”
On who among those three he thinks is the most winnable fight for him:
“You got to look at the age factor in boxing. It’s about youth and Golovkin is 37. I’ll be very comfortable in doing a good job on Golovkin.”
On if he feels there’s unfinished business with Demetrius Andrade:
“There is, yeah. Me and Andrade is a brilliant fight, a good fighter. Styles make fights and I believe I’ve got the beating of him our paths will cross. We’re on the same network and three-time world champion maybe. Who knows.”
On any desires to rematch Chris Eubank Jr:
“Penis...Look, again, it’s not about the money, it’s not about the financial gain of it — even though that fight that’s all it would be. It’s about getting in those big fights but if that was used for me as a warm-up and say ‘look, you’re gonna fight him and then you’re gonna fight Canelo and Golovkin,’ brilliant, let’s do it straightaway. If that’s what I gotta do, that’s what I gotta do...so that’s no problem but like I say, he’s not even amongst the big names. He’s relatively small fish, really...He’s like a world-level tester for somebody, and that’s all he is.”
On if he thinks he ends up fighting Eubank Jr again:
“Could be. It’s down to my management MTK and Eddie Hearn. I’m willing to fight anybody they want...”