#3 WBO, #5 WBC Billy Joe Saunders (20-0, 11 KO’s) passed the biggest test of his career in stopping a game but limited #13 IBF, #15 WBC Emanuele Blandamura (22-1, 5 KO’s) in the 8th round tonight in an impressive performance by the 24-year-old Saunders at the Phones 4U Arena in Manchester, UK.
Fighting in the main event because of Tyson Fury pulling out of his dangerous fight against Alexander Ustinov, Saunders showed a lot of maturity in calmly dealing with a very difficult opponent in 34-year-old Blandamura. Saunders had to stay patient because Blandamura had better hand speed, and he was putting a lot of pressure on him all fight long.