Joe Saunders Targets Eubank Jr. Rematch

Two-time WBO titlist Billy Joe Saunders has not been in the ring for three years. His last fight was when he took a seat after eight rounds with Canelo Alvarez; the Mexican had punched him in the eye. Saunders, who is known to be a skillful Southpaw, received a handsome purse for that fight as well, but he also put on a lot of weight in between fights. 

He is willing to return and to have a potential fight with his old rival. Joe is willing to have a re-match with his early opponent Eubank, Joe wants to have a rematch due collect a potential amount of money and to bring himself into the hype.

Saunders’ Potential Return

Joe Saunders is now 35 years old and is toying with the idea of returning to the ring with his British adversary Eubank Jr. looking likely. During an interview with TalkSports channel recently, he showed his readiness to fight. He thinks that people will be interested in the second confrontation between these two fighters.

The two fighters’ first fight was in November 2014, and Joe Saunders came out as the winner after the fight through a split decision. That win enabled him to keep three of the belts namely the European, British, and Commonwealth middleweight champion belts.

The tense rivalry between those two fighters was real and there is always a possibility of the rematch being interesting in the several years following the fight. Still, due to the lack of activity as time passed, one has to wonder if there are still fans for it.

Kamil Szeremeta aka ‘Estonia’ will come up against Chris Eubank Jr on the 12th of October in Saudi Arabia. Eubank Jr., now 34 ( turning 35 on September 18), has had a somewhat disappointing recent run, with his most significant triumph coming in a 2019 victory over a shot former champion Juanders DeGale. This fighter has entered the ring in merely five fights an average of one fight per year, it made a sort of speculation as to whether he is more of the man who boasts about fighting big fights than the one who delivers them.

Saunders’ View on the Rematch

Despite the time away from the sport, Joe Saunders believes that a rematch with Eubank Jr. would generate excitement among fans, he stated;

I was in heavy talks with Eubank’s manager a few weeks ago. Heavy talks,  Saunders shared.

He emphasized the need to get himself motivated for a comeback fight before pursuing a bigger match-up. Joe Saunders also highlighted the fan interest, stating that the personal animosity between the two would only add to the anticipation, he mentioned;

It’s no secret that I don’t like him personally and he doesn’t like me. We don’t really get on. I think the fans will enjoy the fight and the build-up.

But as Joe Saunders readies himself for another fight that can revitalize his career, the clipping with Eubank Jr is plausible. But one should wonder whether this rivalry can still create that boost after so long time. Fans and pundits will be watching closely to see if this long-awaited rematch will capture the same fervor as their first encounter.