By Carlos Boogs
WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders (23-0, 12KOs) has no interest in traveling over to the United States for a unification with WBA/IBO/IBF champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (34-0, 31KOs).
Saunders was scheduled to make the first defense of his title against Max Bursak on April 30th, but withdrew earlier this week with a hand injury.
Golovkin is back in the ring next Saturday night, when he defends his titles against IBF mandatory challenger Dominic Wade at The Forum in Los Angeles.
Saunders wants the unification to happen, but he plans to stand firm on the fight taking place in the UK.
"I'm not going nowhere to America. Let me tell you one thing - I'm standing my ground, I'm world champion. Golovkin has everything in his favor. I want Golovkin in England. Listen, he's gone to France and boxed - so why can't he come to England. I've said I'll take less money to fight him in England, so let him come to England," Saunders told BoxingScene.com's Declan Taylor.
"People don't understand. If I go to America, to beat him in America I would have to really go and smash him up....because you're not going to get it on points. I'm not going to go in there and bully him [in order to win]....no. I'm going to go in there and outbox him, outthink him and outfox him...I think I can. But the more of a chance I have is here in England with everyone behind me."
With the Bursak fight on the shelf, Saunders is very interested in facing Golovkin or another major fighter in the summer. If Golovkin wins next Saturday, his first ordered of business will be the winner of the May 7th clash between WBC middleweight champion Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and British star Amir Khan. Golovkin is the mandatory challenger to the WBC title. If the winner of Canelo-Khan turn Golovkin down, then Saunders is the obvious next target on GGG's list.
Saunders wants to test his abilities against Golovkin.
"People keep giving me stick about Golovkin. Let's see how good I am. Let's see if I'm the best middleweight on the planet. I'm certainly one of the best in the world as world champion. But lets see if I am at that next level," Saunders said.
"The one thing with me, if the Golovkin fight gets made I'm not going in there lying down thinking he can beat me. I'm going in there knowing I can beat him, a winning mentality."