Billy Joe Saunders vs Ryota Murata in China on May 6th?

WBO ordered him to fight his mandatory challenger Avtandil Khurtsidze.

BJS said his next fight will be a game changer, but always sounds hesitant (read scared) when asked about GGG, calling him the best fighter on the planet as though it's too early to expect him to fight GGG.

I've listened to 2 interviews with BJS talking about this and based on what he said, I'm ruling out Murata. "You'll never guess .. it's going to surprise everybody" ...Top Rank and Warren have been discussing a match between BJS and Murata for a while now. It wouldn't be a surprise if that fight got made. And it wouldn't be a "Mega fight" either! "It should be in the States, but it won't be" ... Why would BJS say that a fight between a Brit and a Japanese should be in the States? The yanks arn't even interested in watching their own boxers, let alone a couple of foreigners. "He (the opponent) has other business on right now" ... GGG and Canelo both have fights lined up. "This is serious stuff. He's a serious opponent and there'll be serious titles at stake" .... That's titles plural, as in, more than one belt on the line. GGG has 160lb 4 titles, of course, and Canelo still holds the Ring and lineal title belt. BJS vs Murata would be for one title alone Imo, it's got to be either GGG or Canelo that Bill is talking about. It sounds like Golovkin to me. If you recall, Billy Joe also said that fighting guys like Monroe and Rosado was beneath him and that he needed to fight a real fighter. In the end he fought perhaps the weakest fighter in the WBO's rankings and barely won at home. Basically it isn't worth paying attention to what he says because he is looking for a payday now that GGG is tied up with Jacobs and Canelo has business with Chavez jr and can get a title shot whenever he wants. The WBO did say that he must fight 2 mandatories next so I assume he will try to avoid fighting his first mandatory Khurtsidze, who will give him a beating for little money. The only fighters that make sense financially are Murata or possibly Korobov, if he has the support of wealthy Russian promoters, though I think it will likely be Murata. Whoever it is, it is almost certain that we will finally see Billy Joe's regrettable reign as champion end and hopefully have a worthy champion who is serious about a middleweight unification fight.

Can you direct me to that quote, post a link please? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhoGd6Ylpyw Here, about 3:00. Loeffler now said rumours are not true... I wonder maybe Cotto... in Puerto Rico? Or maybe.. Khurtsidze in Tbilisi ;).

In the last couple days BJS and his promoter Frank Warren have been hinting about a big money fight for BJS, fighting "the best of the best"..and having to travel to an "eastern country" and fight at the opponents hometown. He also mentioned that his opponent "has work to do, and might or might not schedule a fight in between". These quotes suggests it could be Ryota Murata because Murata has "work" (Murata is commentating for the upcoming Miura vs Roman fight on Wowow this weekend), he is arguably one of the best (Gold Medalist 2012), he is from an eastern country (Japan) and he also might have another tune up fight between now and May. At first the quotes from BJS had a few people suggesting that BJS might fight GGG in Kazakhstan during the EXPO 2017, Loeffler and GGG talked about putting a fight together in the Astana Stadium during Expo 2017 in the past, but we also know that BJS kept avoiding GGG and instead just talking smack all the time, after the Akavov fight he himself hinted that he isn't ready for GGG and would need a few more tuneup fights to get back in shape for GGG. Ryota Murata won the Gold Medal in 2012 and is signed with Top Rank and has also backing in Asia with Teiken Promotions, Arum was interested in making that fight happen against BJS as was reported a couple weeks ago. Ryota is one of two mandatories for BJS, the WBO ordered Saunders to face two mandatories, and the top two @WBO (Khurtszide and Murata) are both dangerous opponents, Murata the guy that could bring some serious money if BJS is willing to travel to Asia to fight him while Khurtszide would mean much less money for similar risk. Maybe Saunders would have preferred to take the Canelo fight in May, but Canelo picked Chavez which is obviously the much bigger and also easier fight for Canelo, GGG is facing Jacobs next and Loeffler also revealed that they would focus on getting the Canelo fight next and if thats the case they would not take a summer fight for GGG in between and just concentrate on the Canelo megafight and promotion. This all leaves BJS having to face one of his mandatories. He might be getting a great deal and alot of money to fight Murata in China on the Zou Shiming Card. Maybe additional money from Japan/China, having a japanese MW champion would obviously be huge there. Also lets not forget, we all and Bob Arum obviously knows how much that WBO strap is worth to both Canelo and GGG so that also might have helped in overpaying BJS as a future investion. I see Murata as a favorite against BJS, specially if the fight is happening in Asia. Do you think BJS vs Murata will happen next or will Saunders actually fight GGG in Kazakhstan? Is it possible that Murata/Teiken/Top Rank can pay BJS to fight Murata in China? Who do you think wins the fight? Murata seems most likely. Best of the best seems a strange quote to use unless you are talking about GG or maybe Canelo though so i wouldnt write that off. Murata vs BJS is a good fight for both guys. I know we all want BJS to fight GG, but in reality his last performance he looked a million miles off a fight of that caliber, so i dont mind him taking this fight. I've listened to 2 interviews with BJS talking about this and based on what he said, I'm ruling out Murata. "You'll never guess .. it's going to surprise everybody" ...Top Rank and Warren have been discussing a match between BJS and Murata for a while now. It wouldn't be a surprise if that fight got made. And it wouldn't be a "Mega fight" either! "It should be in the States, but it won't be" ... Why would BJS say that a fight between a Brit and a Japanese should be in the States? The yanks arn't even interested in watching their own boxers, let alone a couple of foreigners. "He (the opponent) has other business on right now" ... GGG and Canelo both have fights lined up. "This is serious stuff. He's a serious opponent and there'll be serious titles at stake" .... That's titles plural, as in, more than one belt on the line. GGG has 160lb 4 titles, of course, and Canelo still holds the Ring and lineal title belt. BJS vs Murata would be for one title alone Imo, it's got to be either GGG or Canelo that Bill is talking about. It sounds like Golovkin to me.

I was thinking that too, but then I heard Billy saying that he'll get paid 5 times more than he'd get for Eubank Jr. rematch... It has to be Golovkin, Top Rank won't pay that much for Billy Joe to fight in China. Who would have won? I'd lean slightly towards BJ, if he's on his game, but it would be close like every fight Saunders has with half-decent opponent. Murata is slightly disappointing as a pro. Strong, but pushes his punches, his defence is not very effective and he had struggled with journeymen (That kid from New Zealand he fought in US, also against one young fighter from Mexico - that one was in Japan). Can you direct me to that quote, post a link please?

If it isn't Golovkin then Saunders is really lame for making those implications.

I was thinking that too, but then I heard Billy saying that he'll get paid 5 times more than he'd get for Eubank Jr. rematch... It has to be Golovkin, Top Rank won't pay that much for Billy Joe to fight in China. Who would have won? I'd lean slightly towards BJ, if he's on his game, but it would be close like every fight Saunders has with half-decent opponent. Murata is slightly disappointing as a pro. Strong, but pushes his punches, his defence is not very effective and he had struggled with journeymen (That kid from New Zealand he fought in US, also against one young fighter from Mexico - that one was in Japan).

saunders has to fight 2 mandatories back to back.............oh wait no? May be not.. Canelo was made his mandatory & Canelo is fighting Chavez Jr at Caneloweight-II so that is still up in the air..

Actually in the boxnation interview BJS did say it is serious money & lot of titles on the line & its at MW.. Thanks to this guy for the video because I couldn't find it.. Definitely Golovkin 3 minutes in

saunders has to fight 2 mandatories back to back.............oh wait no?

Just get in the ring with ggg and get KO'ed already.

This guy is highly rated across all the organisations but that's just a reflection of the lack of depth of quality fighters at middleweight. As a mandatory you'd have to say it's acceptable but the guy doesn't exactly look like a world beater.

If it's going to be Murata and it's not going to be in the USA or UK, could it be on Pacquiao's Australian undercard? Anyway, I don't rate Murata that much as a pro. The BJS who beat Lee beats Murata, but the BJS from the Akavov fight probably loses

Two steps forward one step back. Dragging his heels abit bjs. That's why when bjs has the momentum going he should fight GGG or Jacobs while the iron is hot. Because bjs can't maintain that level for a long time. He gets an injury then he has to make excuses four poor performances.

Lol another bum opponent for.bjs

It's murata in Macau http://www.inform.kz/en/saunders-not-going-to-fight-golovkin_a2992445

He has really been cornered into tsking a tough fight now though. Time to see what he is about. First things first he has to sort out his conditioning

I would face the old euro and wait on Canelo : Murata is a serious threat and would produce greater financial reward than that of a Avtandil Khurtsidze whos been a pro fifteen years with no world title shot and no big fights lol, but I don't think the risk comes close to a Alvarez purse. Does Billy Joe have to fight both mandos back to back?

Murata seems most likely. Best of the best seems a strange quote to use unless you are talking about GG or maybe Canelo though so i wouldnt write that off. Murata vs BJS is a good fight for both guys. I know we all want BJS to fight GG, but in reality his last performance he looked a million miles off a fight of that caliber, so i dont mind him taking this fight.