Saunders beats Isufi to win WBO world super-middleweight title

Frank Warren speaks to BT Sport: "My only doubt was the weight, Isufi is naturally a big guy coming down from cruiserweight but Billy Joe handled it well.

"He's got great footwork, he's got great anticipation and fast feet. He's a very underrated fighter. I think in the next fight we are going to see an even better Billy Joe Saunders.

"I really do think on his night, Billy has the beating of Golovkin and Canelo. Billy on the night has the beating of both of them."

The current champions at super-middleweight:

WBA - Callum Smith

WBO - Billy Joe Saunders

WBC - Anthony Dirrell

IBF - Caleb Plant

Personally, I think Saunders would like to move down to middleweight where Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez holds three of the four titles but getting that showdown with the Mexican is tough given the fact Canelo is a glamour names who tends to dance his own tune.

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Billy Joe Saunders has his belt and a frustrating 18 months haven't ended up too badly have they?

That was impressive. In my view he had a few gears in his locker and if - and it's proven an if with him in recent times - he keeps it in the gym and in check, he can really threaten big names at middleweight and super-middle.

He has a belt to entice others into something now. From dark times to the light...

Billy Joe Saunders' trainer Ben Davison to BT Sport: "You wouldn't look at that and think that was twelve months in between fights, well more if you don't include the last fight (Saunders' fought Charles Adamu in a tune-up fight last December)."He felt very good in there, he was very good in sparring and he proved it out there. It was a first class performance.

"He's world champion now. I want to see the Canelo and Golovkin fights. I'm sure Golovkin doesn't have too many options right now."

Billy Joe Saunders speaks to BT Sport: "Listen, my first 12 rounder at super middle.

"I said when I come back I don't want to fluff around.

"He caught me in the sixth. It didnt have me where my legs were gone. I haven't been in meaningful fight for 14 months. He's number one with the WBO for a reason so he's obviously good.

"My boxing ability will always get me further in the sport I believe.

"Thanks to trainer Ben Davison for putting the weeks into me in camp.

"I want the big fights, the big names. The big domestic fights, unification fights. I moved up from middleweight as none of them would fight me.

"I could be out again in eight or nine weeks on the O2 Arena card on 13 July as I wasn't really pushed too hard there.

"Everytime I put a name out of who I want, it never happens. I'd like to make the Smith fight as it wold be brilliant for the fans. I know he may have other plans next so it may not stack up next.

"Golovkin and Canelo do not want that style I have."

He becomes the latest British two-weight champion after Ricky Hatton, David Haye and Carl Frampton. A very impressive performance from Billy Joe Saunders.

120-108 117-111 118-110

"All in favour of your winner by unanimous decision and now the WBO super-middleweight champion of the world, BILLY... JOE... SAUNDERS."

So here come the cards....

A good last round from both men, and a good fight overall from Billy Joe Saunders. Real flashes of geniuses in there. His defence is really good, he's hard to hit and he can hurt you.

He has the belt now, and he has something to entice people to come and fight him.

The bell sounds, Billy Joe Saunders jumps up on the ropes, kisses a glove and lifts both hands in the air.

Unless we are about to see one of the worst judging decisions in history, he's done enough and will become the WBO world super-middleweight champion.

Cards to come, reaction to come and Deontay Wilder's fight to come in live-text format at about 03:00 BST. You luck crew you.

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Isufi simply has no answer to the variety of punches. Brilliant start to the final round from Saunders, it's like an exhibition. He's well on his way to join the list of British two-weight champions.

A lovely left uppercut is followed by a left hand from Billy Joe Saunders, lovely variety.

Can he end on a high here. Another shot rocks the head back and Isufi is again looking limited against this kind of class.

A tough man, a game man but a man on his way to defeat.

Some 90 seconds left...

Here we go, the final three minutes.

Billy Joe Saunders perhaps 9-2 up in terms of rounds won.

Billy Joe knows he's won the fight, the question is now how does he want to win this fight. I'd like to see him go for the stoppage. Do you want to be a champion or do you want to be a great champion who goes out with a stoppage?

A minute of the 11th left, Shefat Isufi needs something miraculous from here. He's facing a Rubik's Cube as he looks at Billy Joe Saunders bouncing left, then right in front of him.

Saunders raises his right hand as he goes back to the corner. Close... close... to world title number two.

An ice pack applied to either side of the Shefat Isufi face. The bloke is earning his cash tonight that's for sure.

We go into the 11th round of the 12 scheduled.

A handful of punches from Saunders catch gloves, he circles the ring, on his toes, never allowing his opponent to get set.

Some 90 seconds left and a nice left hook to the temple from Billy Joe...

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I give that round to Isufi, just for the effort and he landed a few right hands. There's no swing in momentum here, just the fact that Billy Joe took that round off to save himself for the last two rounds. This fight looks like it's going the distance.

There's not much venom in the punches of Billy Joe Saunders in this 10th, lots of flicked shots but nothing too nasty.

Right jab, left uppercut from the heavy favourite but Isufi gets his guard up.

A minute or so to go, relative cruise control for Saunders, who is close to becoming Great Britain's second new world champion of the evening.

Saunders not really doing much, taking the odd hit and generally just nudging himself home.

Isufi's been so game in this fight so far. He's been second in every department other than heart and resilience.