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Sport

17th Dec 2017

Billy Joe Saunders just couldn’t help himself in his latest, impressive victory

The Canadian crowd didn't like it

Patrick McCarry

Billy Joe Saunders is a pretty decent boxer and he’s a fine showman too, even if many fans are willing for him to be knocked out.

The fact of the matter is, when Saunders fights people tune in.

Such was the case in Montreal, on Saturday, as Saunders put his unbeaten record and WBO title on the line against Canada’s David Lemieux.

The Hertfordshire boxer dominated from the first bell until the last and Lemieux struggled to lay any clean shots or meaningful combinations. With the fight already tilting in his favour by round 5, Saunders used the opportunity of a missed right hook to mock his opponent and rile up the crowd.

It was a classic heel move:

Lemieux made it to the end but all three judges scored heavily in Saunders’ favour.

After the fight, Saunders told Boxing Insider, “I knew what sort of fighter David Lemieux is, and I knew what sort of coach he’s got. I knew what he was coming for. I look easy to hurt, but you can’t hit me. I like going to somebody’s backyard because I perform better.” He also had a message for GGG:

“Golovkin fight me now… you’ll be punching air.”

Gennady Golovkin has unfinished business with Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez but Saunders is definitely in the frame for a whopper pay-per-view fight.