Tyson Fury says that after his commanding win over Lemieux, BJS should be in the top-10
There is no doubt about it, WBO middleweight ruler Billy Joe Saunders put on one of the most impressive, classy and thoroughly dominant performances of the year with his wider than anyone expected, near shut-out decision win over a dangerous puncher in David Lemieux on December 16.
They fought just once yet there has been a long and quite intense rivalry between the two biggest names of their era for years; and it’s still ongoing: Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya, two seemingly eternal enemies. Oscar, both before, during and after his 2007 loss to Mayweather, has had plenty to say about “Money,” even calling him a “wife beater” at one point.
Adrien Broner, everyone’s favourite bad guy, or man you love to hate, last threw a punch on the Las Vegas Strip, laying an unknown passer by out in quite nasty fashion (for which charges were brought); aside from sparring in the gym and what may have happened behind closed doors, this is the last hard punch of Broner’s we saw land and do damage.
It is the fight HBO’s Larry Merchant called “a featherweight version of Hagler-Hearns” and it rocked New York City twenty long years ago today.
Many fans, and plenty of experts, were left in awe due to the violence, speed, ferocity and number of knockdowns, knockout punches, and sheer, relentless two-way action that was somehow crammed into less than 12-minutes of boxing.
Despite all his other considerable ring achievements, Mexican great Juan Manuel Marquez seems destined to be forever remembered mostly for his shocking, utterly stunning one-punch KO of the equally great (or greater) Manny Pacquiao.
It was in the fourth meeting between the two modern day legends when it happened: an advancing Pac Man was hit flush by a monster, perfectly timed right hand that left Pacquiao face-planted on the canvas just a second or two before the bell rang to end the sixth-round. The sudden termination to the bout, and with it the rivalry, was so shocking because the previous three encounters had all gone down to the wire, so close, debatable even as they were on the score-cards.
He may not take too much solace from it, and in light of the very bad night he had on Saturday against the slicker than slick Billy Joe Saunders, in front of his home crowd, David Lemieux can’t be expected to – but the former champ is still on course to take something away from 2017: The KO of The Year Award.
It was back in March of this year when the former IBF middleweight king squared up with Curtis Stevens in another grudge-match. What was widely anticipated to be a war, one that either puncher may win, instead turned out to be one sweet night for Lemieux. It was in the third-round when it happened: Stevens, on the ropes and throwing a left hand, got beaten to the punch by Lemieux, who scored with a scorching left hook of his own that landed flush on Stevens’ jaw, sending him out like a light the split-second it found its home.
Not too long ago, reigning WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders expressed serious interest in having an all-British fight with Amir Khan. Now, in light of Saunders’ superb win and performance against David Lemieux, BJS is aiming for much bigger fights. In fact, the gifted southpaw wants a fight with either Gennady Golovkin or Canelo Alvarez; Canelo of course being the last man to have fought Khan, knocking him out in quite disturbing fashion last May.
All time great and absolute slam-dunk future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao turns 39 today; an age where most fighters are happily (we hope) retired and firmly on the safe side of the ring ropes. 39 was once a seriously advanced age for a fighter, especially one who operates in the lower weight divisions, where sharp reflexes are essential. Pac Man as we know, started off his pro career scarcely weighing above 100 pounds.
![Billy Joe Saunders: They [GGG and Canelo] won't want to fight me now](https://www.boxing247.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/1-SaudersLemieux_Hoganphotos2.jpg "Photo: Billy Joe Saunders: They [GGG and Canelo] won't want to fight me now")
So what next for reigning, undefeated, WBO middleweight champ Billy Joe Saunders? With last night’s hugely impressive display in totally outclassing a dangerous David Lemieux, a fighter Saunders defused, the gifted southpaw certainly put himself in a great position. Saunders cannot be ignored by the elite of the elite any longer, and it seems the big fights with either Gennady Golovkin or Canelo Alvarez, or maybe even both, will have to come.
Tonight in Quebec, Canada WBO middleweight king Billy Joe Saunders pretty much shut-out local hero David Lemieux in retaining his belt via lopsided 12 round unanimous decision. Putting on a masterclass, easily the single finest performance of his entire career, the unbeaten southpaw won by commanding scores of 120-108, 118-110 and 117-111.