BoxRec

Just had ticket information through for 19th September in Limerick Thomond Park. I can see Andy winning this one to be honest

its a cracking fight , Saunders on Points for me

Saunders is a terrific boxer who has passed every test so far, but he will have to raise his game again, the Lee right hand is so dangerous.

Tough, tough fight for Saunders.

Lee has flattered to deceive in last few performances. If Saunders can be disciplined and also show improved stamina he could win this on points.

Has potential to be a decent fight but it's laughable that's it's for a 'World Title'

Just purchased tickets. .

late knockout for lee

Cracking match-up...as noted on another side of the board.

I really can't pick a winner but if pushed I think a combination of home advantage, experience and the fact that he's still making more improvements under Booth (relatively late on in his career) favour Andy. But only just.

Adam's certainly not everyone's cup of tea; but you have to hand it to the man....he invariably gives his fighters a decent gameplan and seems particularly good when he is able to fully commit to just one project. I still think Groves should have stuck with Booth....but fully appreciate that we don't know the full story.

Billy J will be equally well-prepped by the Tibbs team though - who definitely know how to suss out the opposition - so it is going to be a tight one for money and a draw might be worth a cheeky punt.

No way Saunders is losing this! wide points decision.

Saunder winning 6-2 going into the 9th, not having managed to hurt his opponent but coasting.
Lee has landed little of note despite swinging some wild right hands
Andy lee lands one in the dying seconds of the 9th and 10 seconds later Saunders is sitting on a stool asking "what the fornicate happened there?" through an oxygen mask

Saunders on points for me,you can never rule out Lee tagging him but if Billy Joe keeps it tight then he's a better boxer and should see it through, I suspect Andy will have a late surge like usual and Saunders will drop the pace like usual but BJS takes the title for me,I still think Saunders is a bit underated,if he can just learn to maintain a pace then he's up there with most technically gifted MW on the planet

Saunders on points.

He seems to be one of those fighters that always finds a way to win.

If he avoids Lees short right he wins

Close fight on paper, but I'd be betting on Lee. He carries power for 12 rounds, Saunders will be vulnerable late on when he gasses as usual.

I am on the fence with this one.

I think the smart money has to be on Saunders winning the early rounds. Given past form you'd also bet on his punch output dropping considerably, his movement slowing and becoming sloppier in the later rounds.

I see where people are coming from in predicting the big equaliser from Lee. But he has done this in recent fights when opponents have been steaming in aggressively. Even when Saunders is on top I don't see him giving Lee the kind of chances Jackson and Korobov and the other fella recently did.

And I wonder if Lee might end up returning to type somewhat if Saunders is in the back foot, doing what he did in his pre-booth days, kindof wombling round the ring after him and throwing slightly crude punches.

The more recent lee, patiently boxing on the half-backfoot for the chance to drop a bomb, I don't think he will be quite as successful in it against a smart ring technician, which lees last 3 opponents most certainly were not.

I think a different more aggressive strategy from the start might be in order for this fight. I think if he adopts the same one as he has against Korobov he may spend all night waiting. Interested to see what kind of strategy booth has in store.

Really, none of Saunders pts, Lee (t)ko, or Lee pts, would surprise me.

Two of my favourite fighters.

This fight could go either way. Common line of thinking seems to be BJS wins every minute of every round - until Lee lands a punch, whenever that is.

Whatever happens I'm pretty certain it will be better than the (potentially) Mayweather Berto fight the previous week.

Was on the fence but Lee looks huge stood next to BJS so I'm starting to lean towards the bigger man

I disagree with the mainstream here. I have not really seen Lee truly outboxed. Korobov rounds were all 50/50 for example. Lee straggles with fighters that come forward and physically run over him, Chavez, Jackson and Quillin in some rounds. BJS is not a fighter to physically intimidate Lee. I think Lee wins either clear points decision or if he lands something big by stoppage.

Considering heading over for this at the moment, just costing up flights etc.

Fancy a Lee late stoppage myself,Lee hasn`t always looked impressive but has survived and prospered at World level for a while now and is nicely battle-hardened too.
Saunders for me only ever does just about enough,even after all of the hype vs Jnr it was actually a pretty close fight like most BJS fights.
Lee will take him into deep water and I think Billy Joe will be found wanting.
Good fight though,I`m excited for it.

Tarkus wrote:I disagree with the mainstream here. I have not really seen Lee truly outboxed. Korobov rounds were all 50/50 for example. Lee straggles with fighters that come forward and physically run over him, Chavez, Jackson and Quillin in some rounds. BJS is not a fighter to physically intimidate Lee. I think Lee wins either clear points decision or if he lands something big by stoppage.

I think your spot on,Lee has come on a lot in last 12 months,Korobov was a big improvement,was at the fight and was sitting next to a pro fighter who tought it was a close fight untii Andy's haymaker,the Quillin fight was awsome and to drop Quillin for the first ever time wsas unreal.
I seriously think Andy will win this one easy,and pick off Saunders by pts or Late ko.

Tarkus wrote:I disagree with the mainstream here. I have not really seen Lee truly outboxed. Korobov rounds were all 50/50 for example. Lee straggles with fighters that come forward and physically run over him, Chavez, Jackson and Quillin in some rounds. BJS is not a fighter to physically intimidate Lee. I think Lee wins either clear points decision or if he lands something big by stoppage.

Vera, McEwan, and the Algerian guy who also fought Barker troubled Lee with aggression as well, so virtually all his struggles have been against opponents who took the fight to him and overwhelmed him in spots.

BJS doesn't seem like the type to do that and I'm less confident of him beating Lee on the back foot than I am of Lee beating him if BJS tries to outbox him in that manner.

Vera, McEwan, and the Algerian guy who also fought Barker troubled Lee with aggression as well, so virtually all his struggles have been against opponents who took the fight to him and overwhelmed him in spots.

BJS doesn't seem like the type to do that and I'm less confident of him beating Lee on the back foot than I am of Lee beating him if BJS tries to outbox him in that manner.

Good points Crusader, had high hopes for McEwan for a while but he seems to had faded a bit and seems to be off the radar at light-middle?

Bodyshot3 wrote:

Vera, McEwan, and the Algerian guy who also fought Barker troubled Lee with aggression as well, so virtually all his struggles have been against opponents who took the fight to him and overwhelmed him in spots.

BJS doesn't seem like the type to do that and I'm less confident of him beating Lee on the back foot than I am of Lee beating him if BJS tries to outbox him in that manner.

Good points Crusader, had high hopes for McEwan for a while but he seems to had faded a bit and seems to be off the radar at light-middle?

hes fighting 15th august on malta show in glasgow, scott harrison and craig docherty also on bill

60/40 in favour of lee for me, he's mixed it at a higher level and has a real bang. If Saunders can box clever he is in with a decent chance of out boxing lee though.

always was a billy joe fan told my brother years back he would be a world champ even though he lacked ko power, but my heart is with lee my dad is limerick , in munster staduim it will be loud . didn't think lee would of beat macklin a year and half a go now i cant see mack lasting 6 rounds with him. in his last 2 fights didn't think he would win . but i think with confidence from them fights . he looks a real danger now. he has ko power and knows it and has a big heart he can pick his shoots well, i was impress with lee against peter Quillin. think lee will ko billy joe

brilo33 wrote:always was a billy joe fan told my brother years back he would be a world champ even though he lacked ko power, but my heart is with lee my dad is limerick , in munster staduim it will be loud . didn't think lee would of beat macklin a year and half a go now i cant see mack lasting 6 rounds with him. in his last 2 fights didn't think he would win . but i think with confidence from them fights . he looks a real danger now. he has ko power and knows it and has a big heart he can pick his shoots well, i was impress with lee against peter Quillin. think lee will ko billy joe

Ya, agree with most of above.