In this video interview with Fight Hub TV, middleweight contender Willie Monroe Jr. shares some of his thoughts Billy Joe Saunders repeatedly getting himself in trouble for his ill-mannered social media pranks before giving his take on what he has in common with heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.
When asked about Saunders having frequent outbursts, Monroe responded:
“I would know, his son punched me in the nuts.”
“You know what, man, you can’t do nothing but pray for someone like that. Look at someone like an undefeated world champion, he has a nice fan base. You know, the British people are good people and they’re forgiving people, obviously, because they’re still a fan of him and he’s a dirtbag. But, you know, if you got all of these things and you still don’t know how to appreciate then I can’t do nothing but pray for you because that’s a real unhappy life to live, bro.”
Monroe on what makes Saunders’ style so tricky:
“I think the thing that makes him tricky is — and you know what, I said this about him and Tyson Fury — they have big brains. They understand that they don’t have the physical capabilities and the super physical talents a lot of other fighters have, that super athletic ability. But they know in their mind, they see themselves a certain way and they attack that way and in their mind they’re doing it so it allows them to win.
“Like I know Tyson Fury watches nothing but Muhammad Ali fights. I know that, from like the way he jabs, the way he moves, everything. I can tell he watches Ali. I know that’s his idol. And I know when he goes home and watches his fights after he’s won he says ‘man, that looked real bad.’ I know in his mind he looked like Ali but when he goes home and looks at it ‘that doesn’t look like what I thought it looked like.’
“But they believe in their abilities so much that they attack that way and no matter how awkward or ugly it looks they make it work. Whereas if you can get a guy with a lot of physical abilities that doesn’t believe in his abilities, you’ll just be looking at him like ‘you’re a Lamborghini but not the right driver,’ you know what I’m saying?
“You can really tell these guys believe in what they do, and I think that’s what makes both of them winners. You gotta give it to them, it’s their mind, that’s what makes them winners.”