Sturm turns down 160 title shot, stays at 168

The IBF have ordered @HASSANNDAM Vs Billy Joe Saunders for the vacant middleweight world title. Team Saunders have until Feb 12 to accept!— Gary Hyde (@nowhere2hyde) February 9, 2015 Some times you got to be right place right time ***128171;— billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) February 9, 2015 Sounds like he's ready to accept, I wonder if Frank will have him turn it down. Hopefully not. I'd honestly be surprised if he took the fight

I really hope that Mora never gets a shot. He has enough name recognition and hits soft enought that he might get one

If officiating and judges are fair, I'll favor N'Dam. But how cool would it be to see a unification fight this summer between Lee & Saunders, and then the winner fights Eubanks in the winter. Make a dandy opponent early next year for Golovkin. I think they will be fair, I might be wrong but I think the robberies in title fights usually come with voluntaries, not so much with mandatories and vacant title bouts where sanctioning bodies keep a closer eye. I also favor N'Dam. On the latter part, IMO Eubank actually has the right style to fight Golovkin, he uses his size, gets up close and works the inside. He has a lot of improving to do before he can think about that fight though.

If officiating and judges are fair, I'll favor N'Dam. But how cool would it be to see a unification fight this summer between Lee & Saunders, and then the winner fights Eubanks in the winter. Make a dandy opponent early next year for Golovkin. I agree N'Dam will defeat Saunders should he go down that route.

The IBF have ordered @HASSANNDAM Vs Billy Joe Saunders for the vacant middleweight world title. Team Saunders have until Feb 12 to accept!— Gary Hyde (@nowhere2hyde) February 9, 2015 Some times you got to be right place right time ***128171;— billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) February 9, 2015 Sounds like he's ready to accept, I wonder if Frank will have him turn it down. Hopefully not. If officiating and judges are fair, I'll favor N'Dam. But how cool would it be to see a unification fight this summer between Lee & Saunders, and then the winner fights Eubanks in the winter. Make a dandy opponent early next year for Golovkin.

The IBF have ordered @HASSANNDAM Vs Billy Joe Saunders for the vacant middleweight world title. Team Saunders have until Feb 12 to accept!— Gary Hyde (@nowhere2hyde) February 9, 2015 Some times you got to be right place right time ***128171;— billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) February 9, 2015 Sounds like he's ready to accept, I wonder if Frank will have him turn it down. Hopefully not.

He loses a possible fight against a Haymon opponent for more money though Perhaps, but I would think Saunders could do pretty well setting up a base in the UK doing soft title defenses there. That's assuming he beats N'Dam of course. If he's ready to fight soon it seems better than waiting until late in the year for the Lee-Qullin winner.

Seems like a sweet deal for Saunders if he pockets a six figure step aside fee and gets a much quicker title shot against a beatable opponent. He loses a possible fight against a Haymon opponent for more money though

Seems like a sweet deal for Saunders if he pockets a six figure step aside fee and gets a much quicker title shot against a beatable opponent.

One thing in favor of him opting for the IBF is Warren prefers home fights, he doesn't like sending his fighters across the Atlantic, he rips Eddie Hearn for it. If Quillin wins, he'd have to send Saunders across the water whereas he can bring the N'Dam fight to London. Then again, Warren is pretty tight with the WBO, kind of like Arum but perhaps to a lesser extent so maybe he's destined to head down that route. That's true... but in the end It think it comes down to money. And after all this talk of money and taking what's his without anybody stepping over him... he's gotta take the WBO.

He's in a position were not taking the IBF makes sense though since he already lined himself up for the WBO. People are telling me the contract is pretty iron clad on him getting the winner, but I doubt that unless they were actually in the dealings. Also he says he's fighting on the Undercard April 11th... found out Danny Jacobs is too and if Saunders isn't fighting Soro...maybe him. Maybe they promised he could unify with the WBO champion after the fight, which of course there's still no guarantee. In that scenario of fighting Jacobs, he'd lose his WBO position either way. Win and you're a champion and you lose your mandatory spot (unlike the WBC now handing out mandatories to champions). Lose and you lose your spot. I dunno, a lot of speculation on my side. But yea, I don't see him taking the IBF because less paper either way he goes One thing in favor of him opting for the IBF is Warren prefers home fights, he doesn't like sending his fighters across the Atlantic, he rips Eddie Hearn for it. If Quillin wins, he'd have to send Saunders across the water whereas he can bring the N'Dam fight to London. Then again, Warren is pretty tight with the WBO, kind of like Arum but perhaps to a lesser extent so maybe he's destined to head down that route.

I'd say Frank Warren was behind that so I suppose you're right, it could happen again. I wouldn't be shocked to see him take the N'Dam fight though, he'd get a lot of stick if he turned down two title shots. How much more money would he really get fighting Quillin anyway? (if he were to win) He's in a position were not taking the IBF makes sense though since he already lined himself up for the WBO. People are telling me the contract is pretty iron clad on him getting the winner, but I doubt that unless they were actually in the dealings. Also he says he's fighting on the Undercard April 11th... found out Danny Jacobs is too and if Saunders isn't fighting Soro...maybe him. Maybe they promised he could unify with the WBO champion after the fight, which of course there's still no guarantee. In that scenario of fighting Jacobs, he'd lose his WBO position either way. Win and you're a champion and you lose your mandatory spot (unlike the WBC now handing out mandatories to champions). Lose and you lose your spot. I dunno, a lot of speculation on my side. But yea, I don't see him taking the IBF because less paper either way he goes

Saunders is an assumption because all they're talking about is big stadium fight against the winner for the WBO. Also he's most likely in it more for the money than the belt since he gave up his title shot for money now and later. No way N'Dam gets him more money than the WBO winner, if he gets that shot Lemeuix is most likely going to have legal problems in the near future if GBP/GYM don't resolve their little beef of who Lemeuix is actually signed to, least that's what I'm hearing I'd say Frank Warren was behind that so I suppose you're right, it could happen again. I wouldn't be shocked to see him take the N'Dam fight though, he'd get a lot of stick if he turned down two title shots. How much more money would he really get fighting Quillin anyway? (if he were to win)

guy is going to do the exact same thing as he did in the MW division Beat AA who was bad to begin with and hog the WBO belt for years fighting guys outside the top 10

What am I missing here, why have you jumped over Saunders and Lemieux? Saunders is an assumption because all they're talking about is big stadium fight against the winner for the WBO. Also he's most likely in it more for the money than the belt since he gave up his title shot for money now and later. No way N'Dam gets him more money than the WBO winner, if he gets that shot Lemeuix is most likely going to have legal problems in the near future if GBP/GYM don't resolve their little beef of who Lemeuix is actually signed to, least that's what I'm hearing

Just saw the rankings.... Come the **** on... I"m not even going to bother censoring myself because this is ****ing bull****... COME ON! How is Geale rated lower than Mora and ****ing O'Kane? Solomon probably going to be paid a step aside fee or some B.S N'Dam still wins, but he's getting set up to lose What am I missing here, why have you jumped over Saunders and Lemieux?

No surprise with Sturm. They said he had trouble with the weight for years and a mega fight with Abraham is going to be big money. Even a rematch with Steiglitz is far more money than a risky fight with N'Dam. IBF updated their rankings following the Mora win. Luckily they didn't move Mora up past Soliman otherwise Haymon would've controlled the IBF title fight. How outrageous does it look to see Geale ranked below Mora & O'Kane? The guy was their last champion to have a successful title defense, lost it via close decision, then beats another formed IBF ranked fighter in Fletcher winning every round... 1 Hassan N'Dam Cameroon 2 NOT RATED 3 Felix Sturm Germany 4 Billy Joe Saunders England 5 David Lemieux Canada 6 Sam Soliman Australia 7 Sergio Mora United States 8 Eamonn O'Kane Northern Ireland 9 Daniel Geale Australia 10 Curtis Stevens United States 11 Adam Etches England 12 Tureano Johnson United States 13 Jorge Heiland Argentina 14 Patrick Nielsen Denmark 15 Ryota Murata Japan http://www.ibfusbaregistration.com/i...?view=rankings Just saw the rankings.... Come the **** on... I"m not even going to bother censoring myself because this is ****ing bull****... COME ON! How is Geale rated lower than Mora and ****ing O'Kane? Solomon probably going to be paid a step aside fee or some B.S N'Dam still wins, but he's getting set up to lose

Saunders has landed on his feet nicely, N'Dam is beatable

No surprise with Sturm. They said he had trouble with the weight for years and a mega fight with Abraham is going to be big money. Even a rematch with Steiglitz is far more money than a risky fight with N'Dam. IBF updated their rankings following the Mora win. Luckily they didn't move Mora up past Soliman otherwise Haymon would've controlled the IBF title fight. How outrageous does it look to see Geale ranked below Mora & O'Kane? The guy was their last champion to have a successful title defense, lost it via close decision, then beats another formed IBF ranked fighter in Fletcher winning every round... 1 Hassan N'Dam Cameroon 2 NOT RATED 3 Felix Sturm Germany 4 Billy Joe Saunders England 5 David Lemieux Canada 6 Sam Soliman Australia 7 Sergio Mora United States 8 Eamonn O'Kane Northern Ireland 9 Daniel Geale Australia 10 Curtis Stevens United States 11 Adam Etches England 12 Tureano Johnson United States 13 Jorge Heiland Argentina 14 Patrick Nielsen Denmark 15 Ryota Murata Japan http://www.ibfusbaregistration.com/i...?view=rankings