Billy Joe Saunders, the WBO champion, has been linked to fighting the holder of the four other straps Gennady Golovkin on June 10 in Kazakhstan and the Londoner wants to finalize an agreed deal after the dust recently settled on Golovkin’s mandatory clash with Daniel Jacobs.
Golovkin, 35, was pushed all the way by Jacobs at Madison Square Garden, a performance that some believe lifted his cloak of invincibility, and Saunders has now emerged as the favored opponent for a planned homecoming event.
“I’m just waiting on the contracts being sent. I need to know soon because I need to move my own career on,” Saunders told.
“Obviously, I would love a dream unification fight and I’m willing to travel to Kazakhstan. Willing to fight in his backyard and give him everything his own way. I just want to know as we are ten weeks out, will he fight or will he not? There’s plenty of big fights out there for me and I need to focus on my own career. I know fans want to see this fight, but if it’s going to happen it’s got to happen now.”
Asked whether fighting Golovkin in Kazakhstan was the only option on offer, Saunders replied: “It seems to me they want me in Kazakhstan for some reason and I’ve got no problem with it.
“I fight better when I’m away from home and I fight better when I’m under pressure with a better opponent. Half of what I’ve got inside me hasn’t come out yet and that may be for a reason.”
Saunders has put all his focus on landing a five-belt Golovkin fight, which would net him a seven-figure sum if confirmed, negotiations for which began prior to the Jacobs encounter in New York on March 18.
“Golovkin has been calling me out before and he keeps saying UK fighters have lost their pens, but I am literally pounding at his door for him to sign the fight and get the date announced. I reckon it’s a good fight for the fans. Golovkin has mentioned my name a few times in the build-up and after the Jacobs fight, which was close but I think he just edged it. A lot of people will look at his last performance and say he’s getting old but that’s a load of bo*****s. He’s a great fighter, he’s proved he is. I know can’t look at that fight and take any faults from it.
“Before he even fought Jacobs I wanted it and it was on. I know in my heart I have what it takes to beat him. I’ve got a gameplan that can unravel him and I’d love for him to give me that chance. I’m willing to fight now. I’m in training camp and I’m training for a fight, even if it’s not him it will definitely be somebody – but I’d love it to be him. I’m happy with the money. I’ve agreed everything he’s asked for and I haven’t asked for nothing. I just told them what money I wanted and that was it."
"I got what I wanted and that was it. I willing to go away and travel. I’m just ready to fight – whatever Golovkin wants. Let’s not forget that it’s not just him bringing the big attraction to this. I’ve got the other belt, the final piece of the puzzle and I’m willing to bring that to the table. If he wants it, I’m very, very game,” he added.
