BILLY JOE SAUNDERS has claimed Martin Murray should be focusing on him instead of Frank Warren, after the Liverpudlian claimed he was โfed upโ of being overlooked.
Saunders meets Murray on June 23 at the O2 Arena in London, with the WBO middleweight title at stake.
The fight was originally scheduled for April however Saunders withdrew due to a hand injury, during this time Saul โCaneloโ Alvarez pulled out of his proposed rematch with unified champion Gennady โGGGโ Golovkin.
This led to Saunders being linked with possibly replacing Canelo and promoter Warren has stated โGGGโ is a target for the WBO champion along with other potential future opponents. Murray did not take to this well.
Murray said at a press conference: โWith all due respect, Frank, and I know youโve not been my promoter for a long time but Billyโs throughout his career, Iโm your fighter now and I hear you going on about how Billyโs doing this and that or fighting Golovkin or Caneloโ or George Groves and Iโm fed up of hearing it.โ
โOn June 23, this is my time and I will become world champion,โ Murray added.
Saunders responded to the claims by admitting he understands Murrayโs frustration, but feels he should not be focusing on what the promoter is doing.
โI can see his frustrationโ Saunders said.
โIโve been there myself when people are talking about other fighters but in my own head he hasnโt got to worry what Frank Warren is saying, heโs got to worry about me.โ
Saunders is facing a four-time world title challenger in Murray. The undefeated champion has no illusions that he is facing a serious challenge.
โMy head is fully focused on Martin Murray and nobody elseโ said Saunders. โI’ve done this all my life and I havenโt slipped up yet, Iโve got to carry on doing what Iโm doing making sure Iโm 100 percent focused.
โYou canโt overlook anyone in this game.โ
Saunders has returned to his Sheffield training camp to link up with coach Dominic Ingle, for their third bout together, and the WBO champion insisted he was not taking any risks when explaining his decision to withdraw from the original fight date.
Saunders said, โI was sparring caught it on the top of the head and realised it was pretty sore, I took my glove off and it straight away swelled up.
โI need my jab hand with Martin Murray and it wasn’t 100 percent so I couldnโt make the fight.โ