The WBO have called for purse bids to be held on Tuesday January 27th for the WBO middleweight championship between the titleholder Andy Lee and mandatory challenger Billy Joe Saunders.
Saunders stood aside to allow Lee to fight against Russian Matt Korobov for the vacant title on December 6th in Las Vegas on the strict understanding – as ratified by the WBO at their convention – that Saunders would be made the mandatory challenger if he defeated Chris Eubank Jnr., then the winner out of Lee and Korobov would have to defend against Saunders next.
Irishman Lee subsequently won the title with a stunning sixth round knockout of Korobov, whilst Saunders inflicted the first loss to bitter rival Eubank Jnr. with a points win in their WBO World Championship Eliminator the week prior at the Excel London.
Undefeated Saunders is excited that purse bids have been called and that he is very close to fulfilling his dream of becoming world champion.
“I’m within touching distance of fighting for the WBO world title now and I can’t wait,” said Saunders.
“I’ve done everything on my side, I’m the mandatory challenger, I stepped aside to allow Lee and Korobov to fight and I beat Eubank in the final eliminator to earn my shot. All I want to do is fight for the title and win it,”
“Lee is a great fighter and he proved himself by winning the world title in Las Vegas, but now he’s got to fight me and he will not deny me my dream of becoming world champion.”
