Lee-Saunders

By Scott Gilfoid: WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee (34-2-1, 24 KOs) hasn’t faced #1 WBO Billy Joe Saunders (22-0, 12 KOs) yet, but he’s already counting it as a victory in the win column for their December 19th fight at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, UK. Lee, 31, says he wants to unify the middleweight titles by facing the other middleweight champs instead of sitting on his title and trying to milk his title like some of the other champions tend to do.

As far as Lee unifying the middleweight titles, the only champion at 160 that he has any real chance of beating is WBA “regular” champion Daniel Jacobs. That would be a very, very tough fight for the 31-year-old Lee, and I have my doubts that he’d win it.

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By Scott Gilfoid: #1 WBO 160lb contender Billy Joe Saunders (22-0, 12 KOs) will be facing WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee (34-2-1, 24 KOs) on December 19th in their rescheduled fight at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

Thus far, the Lee-Saunders fight has been postponed twice due to Lee suffering an illness and Saunders getting cut in training. Now hopefully the fighters can make it in the ring in one piece to finally face each other on 12/19 in Manchester. You never know though. Anything can happen when you’ve got two guys that are having problems while trying to make it to the ring. For Saunders, 26, it’s a good time that he’s getting more time to train because he looked really flabby in his last fight against Yoann Bloyer last July.

Saunders weighed in for that fight at 173lbs, and he looked a lot heavier than that when he stepped foot into the ring. My guess is Saunders was in his mid-180s for that fight, and that’s a lot of weight for a middleweight. By having the Lee vs. Saunders fight take place on December 19th, it gives Saunders more time to melt off the weight that he put on.

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By Scott Gilfoid: Bad luck continues to follow the fight between WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee (34-2-1, 24 KOs) and Billy Joe Saunders (22-0, 12 KOs). Saunders, 26, reportedly suffered a cut over one of his eyes during sparring for his October 10th fight, and the fight will now need to be postponed again, according to Boxing News Online.

The Lee-Saunders fight will now be rescheduled for either November or December depending on the estimated healing time for the cut.

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By Scott Gilfoid: WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee (34-2-1, 24 KOs) isn’t too worried about the change of date and venue for his title defense against No.1 WBO Billy Joe Saunders (22-0, 12 KOs). Lee expects to be able to get the better of Saunders regardless of where the fight is staged. The fight will be taking place on October 10th at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, UK.

The fight was originally scheduled for September 19th in Limerick, Ireland. However, Lee came down with a virus, which made it necessary for the fight to be postponed until October. It’s unclear why the fight was moved from Ireland to Manchester, but I think it’ll work out favorably for Lee because with the fight being staged in England, it means that the crowd will be pro-Saunders all the way.

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By Scott Gilfoid: Poor WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee (34-2-1, 24 KOs) will now be defending his WBO title in front of his opponent Billy Joe Saunders’ fans on October 10th in Manchester, UK instead of on September 19th in Thomond Park in Limerick, Ireland. Lee, 31, came down with a virus. That’s what’s being said. Dan Rafael of ESPN had a different take on why the Lee-Saunders fight is being moved to October 10th.

“The word is the real reason Lee-Saunders was ppd is because they were selling no tickets in Limerick. #boxing,” Rafael said on his Twitter.

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By Adam Beechers: Fresh from his 4th round TKO win on Friday night, WBO #1 fighter Billy Joe Saunders 22(12)-0 has stepped up the war of words ahead of his World title fight in September. Saunders, 25, is set to take on Andy Lee 34(24)-2 for the Irishman’s WBO World middleweight title. Saunders who beat France’s Yoann Bloyer was in a bullish mood as he looked to try and rattle his future opponent.

“Andy Lee is a good fighter but I’m going over there to smash him up and take his World title,” Saunders said to BoxNation.  “If he said he’s going to knock me out in five rounds he’s talking crap and I can guarantee one thing a good smart boxer will always beat a brawler. I think Andy has got it in his mind too much about having that big punch but he won’t be getting lucky and landing it on me. Andy is a good fighter and a good champion who has done it the hard way and I have a lot of respect for him but believe me I am going to beat him.”

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By Daniel Reed: I’ve never had a fighter that I’ve rated higher. To be good is one thing but to be great takes a great passion for what you do and Andy loves to fight. He is the complete package – good looking, intelligent, explosive power, physically structured to be a great fighter.”

Back when he was first coming up as a prospect, Emanuel Steward would rave and brag about Lee’s potential and talent. Coming from a man deservedly held in such high esteem as Steward, these words meant everything to Lee.

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I'm fighting @bjsaunders_ Sept 19th in @thomondstadium @WorldBoxingOrg championship of the world. Thank you @boxingbooth @frankwarren_tv

— Andy Lee (@AndyLeeBoxing) June 20, 2015

By Scott Gilfoid: On September 19th, 31-year-old WBO middleweight title holder Andy Lee (34-2-1, 24 KOs) will be defending his WBO title against his #1 challenger Billy Joe Saunders (21-0, 11 KOs) at the Thomond Park Stadium in Limerick, Ireland. It’s not a great fight as far as the U.S boxing fans go, but it’s a match-up that will interest the UK fans.

In reality, this is more of a contender fight rather than a champion defending his title against a challenger.

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