How good Billy was Joe Saunders really?

[JamesPhilips]

He was a more successful boxer than hare courser we know that much.

And his woman beating skills looked pretty impressive too

[JamesPhilips]

Very good in fairness

There was little in the fight v Canelo until he quit

Totally agree. BJS was looking good until that shot

[Boxerbeetle]

Your typical B-level British World Champion.

Good wins against other B-level fighters, Some soft title defences because his handlers know if he faced the elite he would lose. Faced an elite fighter and got smoked.

Also very boring to watch.

I’d definitely agree on the boring part and the poor defences however I think talent wise he was definitely above B-level just never really rose to the occasion and had the career he should have.

He definitely had talent. But I can't put him higher than B because he never beat anyone higher than that level. His best win is arguably Lee, Lemieux or Eubank Jr. Who are all firmly B level fighters--good names to have on a resume of course, but you would never call either of them world class. I guess B+ is a better ranking to put him. He was above the B level fighters, but never proved himself against any of the genuine top level fighters in the division.

Totally dominated Martin Murray too, albeit right at the end of his career. Would say only GGG beat him more convincingly.

[SeanBrennan]

He was a more successful boxer than hare courser we know that much.

And his woman beating skills looked pretty impressive too

This is why I don’t like him. Having grown up watching a traveller batter his woman, in this instance my Ma, it is clear he is a misogynistic scumbag.

[SeanBrennan]

There is a wider very non PC debate about that community’s views towards women. Best left off boxing forum. But BJS is symptomatic of a cultural malaise with that community that I experienced first hand and is why I particularly despise him. He masks his awful narcissism in culture and humour as opposed to what it is, neo-feudal abuse.

Personally having been in care, I’d happily see all offspring of his ilk put in care with a therapeutic pathway support their recovery as it’s that stark in terms of impact. Not all cultures deserve respect. We indulge their behaviours at our peril. My half cousin wrote a book that is a best seller about his life, a gay traveller. It tells you all you need to know about their community.

[CaptainSpacerod]

He was a more successful boxer than hare courser we know that much.

And his woman beating skills looked pretty impressive too

Same level as Floyd / Tank / Shakur ??

[Bigdogsnose]

If you were nitpicking, which is easy to do with a bell end like billy, there’s not many boxers on his resume. Fought a lot of fighters, but not many with his stellar background.

Probably slightly off with timings and weight categories but would have loved to see how he would have fared against groves or degale. Think they both beat him.

[JamesPhilips]

He was a more successful boxer than hare courser we know that much.

And his woman beating skills looked pretty impressive too

Same level as Floyd / Tank / Shakur ??

[a force]

Good fighter but lacking a little something to be any more than a belt holder.

I thought he beat Eubank & Ryder but only just.

Both were 115-113 type fight. I’ve never bought this nonsense that he schooled Eubank.

Andy Lee was his best win. Maybe Lee was slightly past it but it was still a clear win over a title winner.

His big problem was that he faded in the second half of nearly every title fight.

Some were making out he was doing well in the Canelo fight because it wasn’t one sided up until the last round but Saunders needed to have a clear lead by the half way stage to have any chance & I only gave him two rounds.

[margaret thatcher]

i had canelo well ahead vs bjs, always thought people gave him too much credit for that one, i actually agree with the canelo judges for once on that one. besides, as mentioned,, it was the 2nd half billy struggled, and almost as soon as that hit vs canelo he was 1 eyed and getting battered

a truly elite fighter would not have had as many close calls vs the level of opposition he did. at that level. so many narrow decisions or the fight like coceres which was about even before the finish. and of course his 1 fight vs a true p4p he quit.

but he showed more than enough to prove genuine world class

[margaret thatcher]

I’d definitely agree on the boring part and the poor defences however I think talent wise he was definitely above B-level just never really rose to the occasion and had the career he should have.

He definitely had talent. But I can't put him higher than B because he never beat anyone higher than that level. His best win is arguably Lee, Lemieux or Eubank Jr. Who are all firmly B level fighters--good names to have on a resume of course, but you would never call either of them world class. I guess B+ is a better ranking to put him. He was above the B level fighters, but never proved himself against any of the genuine top level fighters in the division.

Totally dominated Martin Murray too, albeit right at the end of his career. Would say only GGG beat him more convincingly.

see to me that is just superficial resume stacking.....murray was done and there is a reason it was his last fight

already 5 years earlier groves too had given him a heck of a beating and hurt him about a dozen times

[golden_labrador]

There is a wider very non PC debate about that community’s views towards women. Best left off boxing forum. But BJS is symptomatic of a cultural malaise with that community that I experienced first hand and is why I particularly despise him. He masks his awful narcissism in culture and humour as opposed to what it is, neo-feudal abuse.

Personally having been in care, I’d happily see all offspring of his ilk put in care with a therapeutic pathway support their recovery as it’s that stark in terms of impact. Not all cultures deserve respect. We indulge their behaviours at our peril. My half cousin wrote a book that is a best seller about his life, a gay traveller. It tells you all you need to know about their community.

the poor kids

[Twinkle Toes]

Good fighter but lacking a little something to be any more than a belt holder.

I thought he beat Eubank & Ryder but only just.

Both were 115-113 type fight. I’ve never bought this nonsense that he schooled Eubank.

Andy Lee was his best win. Maybe Lee was slightly past it but it was still a clear win over a title winner.

His big problem was that he faded in the second half of nearly every title fight.

Some were making out he was doing well in the Canelo fight because it wasn’t one sided up until the last round but Saunders needed to have a clear lead by the half way stage to have any chance & I only gave him two rounds.

Pretty much how I see it

[smiling assassin]

The man was world class over 6 rounds just a shame for him championship boxing is 12 rounds.

[Boxerbeetle]

He definitely had talent. But I can't put him higher than B because he never beat anyone higher than that level. His best win is arguably Lee, Lemieux or Eubank Jr. Who are all firmly B level fighters--good names to have on a resume of course, but you would never call either of them world class. I guess B+ is a better ranking to put him. He was above the B level fighters, but never proved himself against any of the genuine top level fighters in the division.

Totally dominated Martin Murray too, albeit right at the end of his career. Would say only GGG beat him more convincingly.

see to me that is just superficial resume stacking.....murray was done and there is a reason it was his last fight

already 5 years earlier groves too had given him a heck of a beating and hurt him about a dozen times

I bet he was still riding high in Horse’s Top 10 British P4P list tho

[TheLeprechaun]

Stop spamming.

[Coco]

Totally dominated Martin Murray too, albeit right at the end of his career. Would say only GGG beat him more convincingly.

see to me that is just superficial resume stacking.....murray was done and there is a reason it was his last fight

already 5 years earlier groves too had given him a heck of a beating and hurt him about a dozen times

I bet he was still riding high in Horse’s Top 10 British P4P list tho

[Cbarnes19]

Stop spamming.

?

[Taansend]

Many British fighters have a lot to learn when it comes to nutrition BETWEEN fights, not just while in training.

It really does make a difference. Especially later in their career.

Billy Joe had world class talent but not a world class brain.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Yh a lot of British boxers don’t live the lifestyle.

I mean it’s a short career as it is. Live the lifestyle.

Brook, Hatton were others as well.

The HW’s are mostly just fat now.

[Cent0089]

Well, Canelo was at his very prime when BJS fought him and he did solid until that fatal punch IMO. So i think he was very good, but wasted his talent on mediocre fights. His win over Eubank is somewhat underrated

[Ruthless-RKO]

His win over Eubank is somewhat underrated

He just about won that too

[mickey1975]

His win over Eubank is somewhat underrated

He just about won that too

Again, he pissed the first half of the fight.

[big lennox]

A very skilful fighter. Really talented.

[NazNaci1]

He was a really good, skillful fighter.

Definitely, in that era, in the top half.

A bit of a spanner but you can't knock his talent.