By Scott Gilfoid: Unbeaten middleweight contender Billy Joe Saunders (19-0, 10 KO’s) is hoping he can line himself up for a world title shot against WBO middleweight champion Peter Quillin if Saunders can get past little known Emanuele Blandemura (22-0, 5 KO’s) in their fight on July 26th for the vacant European middleweight title at the Phones4U Arena in Manchester, UK.
Saunders doesn’t have much in the way of punching power, and it’s hard to imagine him doing any better than Quillin’s last opponent Lukas Konecny. In fact, I think Konecny is a far better fighter than Saunders with better power, more experience and better skills.
“I know that I’ll have to put in a class performance to show that I’m ready to fight Quillin for the world title next,” Saunders said. “That’s the golden carrot for me. I’ve got to shine on that night and show I’m the best out there. Quillin is there for me to beat. I reckon he’s the most beatable of the middleweight champions. I’d beat him 100% and I’d fight him anywhere, in his backyard or even in a stable.”
Quillin hasn’t taken any chances in facing good opposition since picking up the WBO title, so I think he’d welcome the idea of fighting the little known, and light hitting Saunders in the United States. However, it’s a fight that would attract very little interest and do next to zero for Quillin’s career. But it would be a fight that would keep Quillin as the WBO champion for a little while longer until he eventually fights someone good and gets knocked out.
WBA middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin would love to get a chance at fighting Quillin in order to knock him out and add his WBO title to his collection, but the chances of that fight happening aren’t good because of the two fighters fighting on difference cable networks. I also seriously doubt that Quillin’s adviser Al Haymon would bless a fight between Quillin and Golovkin for obvious reasons.
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