Andy Lee’s trainer Adam Booth, who oversaw David Haye’s rise to cruiser and heavyweight stardom, is looking forward to September’s bragging rights fight between his man and Billy Joe Saunders, which sees two men from the travellling community contesting a version of a world title for the first time in history.
There has already been something of a boxer/puncher narrative unfolding regarding the fight between the two southpaws, and speaking to Sky Sports, Booth suggested he wouldn’t be surprised to see tactics thrown out of the window on the night in much the same way Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns threw out the rule book in their legendary 3 round war in 1985.
“I genuinely think this is one of those fights that will come down to will and desire,” he said.
“There’s all the elements of boxing – skill, balance, co-ordination, bravery, defence – all of the things that you throw into the pot, along with courage, strength and will and desire.
“I think in this fight this is going to get brought into play because their boxing skills are throughout the fight, nullifying each other, and it’s going to end up as one of those that become a bit of a fight.
“A bit like a Hagler-Hearns, where they had all the grades but that night it just became a punch-up!”
Money from punters has already been flooding into bookies in the UK and Ireland, backing the two fighters as dividing lines are drawn.
Lee, won his belt last December against dangerous puncher Matty Korobov, coming from behind to rock and stop the Russian in the 6th round. In April he drew with American Peter Quillin in a fight that saw both fighters taste the canvas.
Both Lee and Booth have confirmed they would like Irish female gold medalist Katy Taylor to box on the undercard of the bout, although Frank Warren who promotes Saunders, and Billy Joe himself are opposed to the idea.
Speaking this week to iFLtv, Saunders said about the Taylor idea;
“I think women are there for sex. Every night. Hard sex. Women’s there for cleaning, cooking, washing and sex.”
“They’re not to put a head guard on and get punched in the face, although, I must say, Katie Taylor’s done extremely well and she once punched Frankie Gavin up in sparring.
“All jokes aside, that’s my opinion on women, but I’m just a sex maniac.”
Taylor later tweeted her own thoughts about Saunders’ and his stance on women last night, saying: “I feel sorry for his wife and daughter if that’s his only view of women.”
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