Round-by-Round: Billy Joe Saunders vs. Shefat Isufi - 18 May 2019

[rd350lc]

I wonder how many favoured this over the terrific night of boxing from the wbss ?

[jamamb]

I wonder how many favoured this over the terrific night of boxing from the wbss ?

prob just the bjs wannabe groupies

[bigjack]

That reminded me of that brilliant fight between Calzaghe and Eubank for this very same vacant title

[rd350lc]

prob just the bjs wannabe groupies

not that many then

[Cyclops]

What a wasteland super middleweight is.

[JimStone]

What a wasteland super middleweight is.

Shitty division at the moment.

[bigjack]

'Isufi was WBO no1 for a reason,he's good'

[rd350lc]

What a wasteland super middleweight is.

Yeah , it used to be "the " division .

I suppose it goes in cycles though and in a few years time it'll be like the good old days .

[samwbr]

Callum must be reaching for his phone.

Too right

[Ruthless-RKO]

THE VACANT WBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Billy Joe Saunders W pts 120-108 117-111 118-110 Shefat Isufi
12 x 3 super middleweight

Southpaw slickster Saunders was quickly out of the blocks firing in rapier like jabs into the face of Isufi, who had no answers to the movement and range of shots he was being forced to absorb. Saunders looked a class above and Isufi a little befuddled by what was in front of him.

Saunders’ Hertfordshire army were creating quite some atmosphere inside the Lamex Stadium as their man was executing something of a masterclass to which Isufi was offering little in return. Isufi’s expression at the end of round two told of him being utterly perplexed over how to counter the array of shots and nifty movement of the former middleweight world champion.

Saunders unleashed a flurry of shots in the third that resulted in referee Marcus McDonnell taking a close look at the wellbeing of Isufi but, to his credit, the Albanian fired back and kept the referee off his case for the time being.

The memorising display of Saunders continued through the fourth and Isufi carried on being perplexed by the variety of shots coming in his direction. Isufi was regularly cornered and his only riposte came via wild and hopeful haymakers.

The beginning of the sixth saw Saunders clubbed back towards the ropes by a huge right hand and, for once, the Hatfield man was holding on and subsequently got on his toes and kept out of trouble. It was a warning sign not to take his man too lightly, however much he was on top.

Isufi was showing a new resolve after being flummoxed for six rounds and it was he who was on the prowl stalking his prey. Saunders launched some stunning manoeuvres off the back foot at the end of the seventh.

The 27-0 man went back on the hunt at the start of the eighth and was completely dominant across the full three minutes as Isufi went back into his shell, with the ninth and tenth following a similar pattern.

Isufi was attempting to land bombs but was not finding the target with single shots as Saunders was cruising towards a second world title and was not taking any chances.

He got on his bike in the final round, circling the Albanian and not putting his fine work at risk.

Billy Joe Saunders is now a two-weight world champion.

[Ruthless-RKO]

[jamamb]

lol , ya, well be hearing all the time now about bjs being a two weight champ, just dont mention how he got that smw title

[handsofstone]

Yawn that was boring as fvck, the only highlight was seeing Saunders wobbled in the 6th when Isufi clipped him with a right, Isufi was too crap to quicken the feet and press and Saunders just got on his bike, he was awful, sure he hurt Saunders more than we've ever seen but technically he was rank rotten, typical Warren WBO sacrificial lamb

Saunders did look really sharp early doors and finished strong, great movement and defence, the jab was good and put together some nice looking combinations, especially the uppercuts but he took his foot off after getting hurt, Saunders not a big puncher but I think he could've got Isufi out of there if he'd carried on breaking him down once he'd recovered from the wobble

Saunders boxed well but there's a difference between toying with Lemieux and toying with Isufi, boring fight especially second half

[Ruthless-RKO]

[JimStone]

THE VACANT WBO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Billy Joe Saunders W pts 120-108 117-111 118-110 Shefat Isufi
12 x 3 super middleweight

Southpaw slickster Saunders was quickly out of the blocks firing in rapier like jabs into the face of Isufi, who had no answers to the movement and range of shots he was being forced to absorb. Saunders looked a class above and Isufi a little befuddled by what was in front of him.

Saunders’ Hertfordshire army were creating quite some atmosphere inside the Lamex Stadium as their man was executing something of a masterclass to which Isufi was offering little in return. Isufi’s expression at the end of round two told of him being utterly perplexed over how to counter the array of shots and nifty movement of the former middleweight world champion.

Saunders unleashed a flurry of shots in the third that resulted in referee Marcus McDonnell taking a close look at the wellbeing of Isufi but, to his credit, the Albanian fired back and kept the referee off his case for the time being.

The memorising display of Saunders continued through the fourth and Isufi carried on being perplexed by the variety of shots coming in his direction. Isufi was regularly cornered and his only riposte came via wild and hopeful haymakers.

The beginning of the sixth saw Saunders clubbed back towards the ropes by a huge right hand and, for once, the Hatfield man was holding on and subsequently got on his toes and kept out of trouble. It was a warning sign not to take his man too lightly, however much he was on top.

Isufi was showing a new resolve after being flummoxed for six rounds and it was he who was on the prowl stalking his prey. Saunders launched some stunning manoeuvres off the back foot at the end of the seventh.

The 27-0 man went back on the hunt at the start of the eighth and was completely dominant across the full three minutes as Isufi went back into his shell, with the ninth and tenth following a similar pattern.

Isufi was attempting to land bombs but was not finding the target with single shots as Saunders was cruising towards a second world title and was not taking any chances.

He got on his bike in the final round, circling the Albanian and not putting his fine work at risk.

Billy Joe Saunders is now a two-weight world champion.

Whoever wrote that would make a better childrens' story writer than journalist. Terrible reporting.

[Boxerbeetle]

Whoever wrote that would make a better childrens' story writer than journalist. Terrible reporting.

Yeah we don’t need rubbish reports like that on here.

[3132DW]

lol , ya, well be hearing all the time now about bjs being a two weight champ, just dont mention how he got that smw title

You’ll never get a better gift than that fight for winning a “World Title”

He’s never a SMW - could see Smith being way too big for him at that weight.

His issue is at Middleweight he needs to work with Hearn/Dazn as nearly ever Middle is on their platform.

[bripez]

prob just the bjs wannabe groupies

I put the fight on at the point Andy Lee said he couldn’t believe the fella got anywhere near a world title shot.

I watched half of the first round before doing a final channel-surf and went to bed.

[cfang]

'Isufi was WBO no1 for a reason,he's good'

48 on the boxrec lists. Awful fight and rubbish card.

[bigjack]

48 on the boxrec lists. Awful fight and rubbish card.

Saunders would convince the casuals he was a top contender Wazza boasting about Saunders now being a 2 weight champ

I've just had a look at Isufi's record and i've not heard of any of his opponents before Saunders.

[veriton]

48 on the boxrec lists. Awful fight and rubbish card.

I watched it all, becuase I have BT but not Sky Sports, was my only option.

There was a kid on there making his pro debut who looked absolutely amazing - surname McCann. Joyce also got a good stoppage against usually durable Ustinov. BJS fight was as awful as expected.

Something positive...Warrington v Galahad isn't PPV but Fury v Schwartz is. No way would anyone in their right mind pay for either of those as PPV but now it means I'll only be missing one of them

[3132DW]

I watched it all, becuase I have BT but not Sky Sports, was my only option.

There was a kid on there making his pro debut who looked absolutely amazing - surname McCann. Joyce also got a good stoppage against usually durable Ustinov. BJS fight was as awful as expected.

Something positive...Warrington v Galahad isn't PPV but Fury v Schwartz is. No way would anyone in their right mind pay for either of those as PPV but now it means I'll only be missing one of them

Schwarz was 90 odd rated - he’s moved up to 60 odd now - if you work off that Dave Allen’s about 40 ahead of him that’s an idea of his ability and he went 10 with that 25 stone beach whale we seen last week.

Wonder who the undercard will be in LV for Fury Card.

[Grilling Machine]

Saunders did look really sharp early doors and finished strong, great movement and defence, the jab was good and put together some nice looking combinations, especially the uppercuts but he took his foot off after getting hurt, Saunders not a big puncher but I think he could've got Isufi out of there if he'd carried on breaking him down once he'd recovered from the wobble

Saunders boxed well but there's a difference between toying with Lemieux and toying with Isufi, boring fight especially second half

He looked fantastic for the first few rounds, and turned it on again until he faded in the 12th. But his stamina was running out after a fight that had gone all his own way, and although he'd be tricky as hell for Smith with those low rolls, I think pressure to his body would work him over at 168. It's whether he meets an opponent with the skills to find him enough.

Isufi should've been cutting off the ring and trying to get in behind jabs a lot more, initiating to the body. I spent a lot of the fight thinking about what McCallum would've done, because single jabs and carpark rights are never the ticket against Saunders. Barry Jones kept mentioning Isufi's slow feet, but you can get around that handicap if you're clever.

When Saunders is taunting with his chin out you just have to feint sometimes to cause a slight reactive shift in balance that might let you get closer to mix it up again; it's a risk you have to take occasionally against movers. Isufi had no feints whatsoever, and Saunders is avoiding everything on the defensive at range.

[milpool]

I watched it all, becuase I have BT but not Sky Sports, was my only option.

There was a kid on there making his pro debut who looked absolutely amazing - surname McCann

Dennis McCann...and for all of us who are big fans of Minder, he’s going to be our new hero!

[Ruthless-RKO]