WBO World middleweight champion Andy Lee is targeting a bout with 160lbs knockout machine Gennady Golovkin in 2016 if he gets passed Billy Joe Saunders on December 19th in Manchester.
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The proud Irishman is set to make the second defence of his WBO crown against mandatory challenger Saunders later this year, but is still eyeing a lucrative showdown with the IBF and WBA Super champion Gennady Golovkin in the next 12 months.
In a press conference at the Landmark Hotel in London today, Lee said:
“I’m a big strong Middleweight and I punch as hard as Golovkin. If I beat Saunders I’d go for Golovkin next, his reputation is bigger than what he is.”
“The loser has to live with this fight for the rest of our lives. The world title is the world title, it’s going to take a very good man to take the title from me. This is the main fight, the great fight of 2015.”
He continued:
“This is an excellent bill, and it’s great to see Liam and Terry defending their world titles.”
“Eubank and Spike are two guys who talk a lot but this is the main fight between two Olympians for a world title.”
Lee (34-2-1 24KOs) denied claims that a fight with the unbeaten Kazakh is already set in stone and said he is primarily focused on overcoming Billy Joe Saunders in the first world title fight between two men from the travelling community.
“It would be stupid of me or Adam Booth to look past Saunders as he’s the next man I’m facing in the ring and he’s a dangerous fighter who could take my title. There’s no way at all I’d be overlooking him. Golovkin is the golden carrot for everyone in the middleweight division but I have to deal with Saunders first,” said the 31-year old.
Saunders, unbeaten in 22 professional contests, is confident of toppling Lee in December and has predicted a wide-margin point’s success. The 26-year old was forced to pull out of their rescheduled bout last month with a deep cut above the eye but is now raring to go in preparation for the eagerly anticipated middleweight clash.
“This is a real fight for the world title between me and Lee, this is the real thing. I guarantee there’s going to be someone going down at some point in the fight, but one’s thing’s for sure I’m coming away with the belt,” stated a confident Saunders.
The WBO World middleweight clash headlines a packed bill on December 19th which includes new WBO World super-welterweight champion Liam Smith and WBO World lightweight title-holder Terry Flanagan making respective defences of their crowns.
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