Persistent jackass Billy Joe Saunders came on the Ak and Barak SiriusXM show this week and didn’t disappoint. The trash-talking super middleweight titleholder spoke on his forthcoming bout against the top pound-for-pound pugilist out there, Canelo Alvarez.
Saunders told the duo that he didn’t exactly know where he’ll be battling the Mexican, who holds the WBC and WBA belts at 168, while the 31-year-old Saunders (30-0, 14 KO) has the WBO title.
Ak told Saunders he respects his skills and slickness, and asked if he think sthis May 8 challenge will be his stiffest test ever.
“I think obviously everyone knows I’ve got to be at my best,” he answered, then went into some strong sarcasm. “But I’m pushing for time now. 10 days off training, I’ve got the flu, not in shape, I’m still heavy, haven’t started camp proper yet. It’s gonna be a walk in the park for Canelo, by all means. He said he’s gonna knock me out in three rounds, I’m gonna have to go with that.
“Let him knock me out in three rounds, and then get some In-and-Out Burger for me, yeah?”
When asked if he had enough time to get in shape, Saunders dripped more sarcasm, replying, “Nah, I don’t have enough time, but I’m just gonna go there, pick a check up, and go home.”
But he was pressed for a serious answer, with the note that Sergey Kovalev said after losing to Canelo that he didn’t have enough time between fights, after taking on Anthony Yarde and then the Mexican superstar on Aug. 24 and Nov. 2 in 2019.
“There’s one thing with me, if I get beat, or if I win a fight, never would I make an excuse, even if there was an excuse,” said Saunders. “From my end, there’s zero excuses. If I’m not good enough to beat Canelo on May 8, I’m never gonna beat him.”
And he’s not looking past Canelo toward what could happen after beating him, he said. There’s no thinking about Caleb Plant or whatever else.
Saunders admitted how he looked in his last fight against Martin Murray won’t do against Canelo. And he also thought it was embarrassing how Avni Yildirim performed on Feb. 27 against Alvarez.
“I don’t embarrass myself about money, I wouldn’t do that,” he stated.
Saunders did say he thinks highly of Caleb Plant as a fighter, but no, he’ll not be giving up when things get tough versus Alvarez, as Plant has theorized. Saunders said that’s just not in his makeup. It was kind of funny, actually, Saunders said he’d be OK with having Ak and Barak there as EMT crew, and they could do resuscitation if need be.
Saunders continued, saying he was going to compete on behalf of his fellow “gypsies” all over the UK.
“That’s what we’re doing this one for, we’re sticking together. This will be one of the biggest upsets in British boxing history, it will be the biggest upset,” he said.
Then strangely, he finished up by saying he really hoped he started feeling better soon. He’d even consider talking to his management about putting off the fight, possibly, if he didn’t feel better soon.
“My adviser Daniel Kinahan says to me, ‘I’m on the flange diet,’ he’s put me on that diet as well, so he’s advised me to eat plenty of flange for this camp as well, so I’ve got tons of it.”
Here, for the unaware, is the slang definition of “flange.”
Told you he’s a persistent jackass.