Saunders wants a shot a Ramirez

Billy Joe Saunders wants a shot at WBO super-middleweight champion Gilberto Ramirez or to drop the title.

Ramirez after his fight stopping Tommy Karpency on Friday stated that he felt better fighting at light heavyweight than at super middleweight with the belt he currently holds.

Saunders (27-0,13 KOs) takes on Shefat Isufi (27-3-2, 20 KOs) at Stevenage’s Lamex Stadium on Saturday, May 18, live on BT Sport in the United Kingdom and on ESPN+ in the United States for the WBO interim super-middleweight crown. The winner of that contest would become the mandatory challenger, which Ramirez would be ordered to take on or be forced to relinquish the title he has held since January 2016.

If Ramirez does vacate the title, the Saunders-Isufi fight is more than likely to be elevated to full world title status.

Former unbeaten WBO middleweight champion Saunders quipped in an interview his demands for Ramirez.

“I am raring to go for Ramirez, but if he doesn’t want to face me then give up the title and let me fight for the full championship.

“If it’s not going to happen against me after my ‘interim’ title fight then I would rather him say, now.

“He has said he can make 12 stone (168 pounds) for Callum Smith so I don’t see the problem with myself. If he can make 12 stone for Callum, he can make 12 stone for me.”

“I understand the rules of boxing. If you haven’t got the right style, opponents may not want to know you.

“His promoter Bob Arum has a good working relationship with Frank Warren and MTK, and he has most probably had a conversation with Ramirez.

“They know they can make the fight, but do they want it?”

“Personally myself, I don’t think Ramirez will go ducking anybody, but unless he 100 per-cent knows he’s good at the weight I can’t see him taking the chance of fighting me.

Let’s see if Ramirez takes up Saunders on his challenge or gives up the belt to stay in the light heavyweight division.