After parting ways with Frank Warren, Billy Joe Saunders has a new promotional home.
The undefeated WBO super middleweight champion announced Tuesday during a press conference in London that he has signed a multi-fight deal with Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and that his next bout will be announced next week — a bout that he wants to lock in around late October or early November.
Now on the Matchroom Boxing roster, Saunders (28-0, 13 KOs) shares the same promotional home with the likes of Callum Smith and Demetrius Andrade and will be fighting on DAZN just like Canelo Alvarez and Gennadiy Golovkin.
“This move is going to benefit me massively,” Saunders said. “Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing can put me right out on the branch for those big fights. I’m on Golovkin and Canelo’s turf. I’ve made this move to make them fights because I’m sick of hearing their bulls— excuses. Those fights make financial sense and they make sense because we’re on the same network.
“I will go where the big fights are and I can fluctuate between middle(weight) and super middle(weight),” he continued. “If the big fights are at middleweight then I’ll have them at middle. If they’re at super middleweight, then I’ll have them at super. I’m a world champion at super middle, so if anyone wants to come and try to win a belt, then I’ve got one of the most recognized belts out there and I’m open to big offers."
Hearn is excited about all the possibilities with Saunders.
“Welcome to the big league Billy Joe!” Hearn said. “This is a huge signing for us and the perfect place for Billy to be. Everyone in boxing knows how good Billy is and now he is going to get the chance to prove it against the elite.
"He holds a World title at 168 (pounds), but can also make 160 (pounds) comfortably and when you look at the fighters we work with across our platforms, this was an obvious link up,” Hearn continued. “Fighters need to be motivated with regular dates and solid deliverable plans — now Billy finally has that, you will see him shine on both sides of the Atlantic."
A two-weight world champion, the 29-year-old southpaw won the then-vacant WBO super middleweight strap with a unanimous decision over Shefat Isufi this past May. He also counts wins against the likes of David Lemieux, Willie Monroe Jr., Artur Akavov, Andy Lee and Chris Eubank Jr.