By Terence Dooley
WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee and mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders (21-0, 11 early) took to the stage at a press conference earlier today to discuss their September 19th showdown. The fight will be shown live on BoxNation and takes place at Limerick’s Thomond Park Stadium.
The 31-year-old title-holder admitted that fighting in front of his home fans as a champion will be a huge moment in his career, especially if the venue sells out.
“I always dreamed of fighting here,” stated Lee (34-2-1, 24 KOs). “As soon as I won the title, my thoughts turned to defending it here. To bring an event like this to my home city, it's an honour really. I'm fighting one of the best middleweights in the world.”
The two boxers refused to descend into trash talking, showing lots of mutual respect instead of exchanging barbs. “How can I not respect him?” asked Lee. “He's undefeated and he's an Olympian as well—it's going to be a hard, hard fight. This is not like a handpicked fighter. This is a real fight and we're going to give everyone a good show.”
Saunders, 25, shared Lee’s sense of pride over potentially filling a football stadium, saying: “As soon as I looked at the place it was a dream come true. I think he deserves a homecoming. I’ve got a lot of respect for Andy, I just want his belt. This fight doesn't need building up, the fans are definitely going to be the winner in this fight.”
He added: “Andy's a good champion, and it's going to be a very, very good fight. We both can adapt well. It's going to come down to heart, determination and grit. This is the dream. Every fight has been leading up to it. From the second the bell goes, I will be on the ball. Andy's proved that he's got the punch. I've got a very good chin—he's going to need more than that right hand to win. This fight has lit something inside of me.”
George Warren was also at the top table. The CEO of Queensberry Promotions also spoke highly of the fight’s setting. “It's fantastic to be here,” he told the assembled press. “All credit to Thomond Park.”
“They're a credit to the sport, to themselves and to each other,” he added, turning his attention the boxers. “They're going to leave it all on the line in the ring. We're hoping for 34,000 here (on fight night).”
Lee revealed that he benefitted after losing to Brian Vera and Julio Cesar Chavez Junior, arguing that the two defeats helped him improve as a fighter. “If anything, they have made me stronger,” he argued. “I never want to taste that again. The crowd could be the difference, especially in the later rounds, to give me that spur.
“This is a chance to give a little back to Limerick and the boxing community in Ireland. This isn't tiddlywinks, he's going to come and try to knock me out. After the fight, we'll shake hands. This is as close as it gets to warfare. I hit with either hand. Twelve rounds is a long time to be in the ring with me, you're going to get hit.”
Lee’s trainer Adam Booth also spoke about the magnitude of the event and Lee’s journey to world champion when he took to the mic.
“The last three years working with Andy have been incredible—I'm just thrilled to be involved. This one will certainly give me goose bumps. Billy proved his mettle in the Eubank Junior fight. These guys will give the event the fight it deserves. What you have here is a genuine number one contender against a champion who has seen every style. This is a unique event.”
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