Billy Joe Saunders to fight Shefat Isufi for vacant WBO super-middleweight world title on April 13 at Wembley Arena
The former WBO middleweight champion is going up a weight class to compete for a new belt
Billy Joe Saunders will have the chance to become a two-weight world champion when he takes on Shefat Isufi on April 13 at Wembley Arena.
The Brit vacated his WBO middleweight title after failing a drugs test last year, but is now back in contention and will compete for the WBO super-middleweight belt.
Saunders was previously ordered as mandatory for his old 160lbs middleweight title - now held by Demetrius Andrade - but instead opted to take this new opportunity after Gilberto Ramirez vacated at 168lbs.
Billy Joe will be the massive favourite in the fight as, despite his issues outside of the ring, he was widely regarded as one of the best middleweights in the world with a record of 27-0.
Isufi meanwhile is 27-3-2 having seemingly worked his way up the rankings with a long undefeated streak against opposition nowhere near the level of Saunders.
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“It is a brilliant opening for me,” said Saunders on his shot at a second world title and went on to explain his reasoning for passing up his mandatory status at middleweight.
“You’ve got these rumours that Andrade is going for shoulder surgery, as well as the financial side of it with the split – it all doesn’t add up.
“Me winning this super middleweight title will put me in a great position for unifications with the likes of Callum Smith, while we’ve got Chris Eubank boxing James DeGale at the weekend.
“There are a lot of big, big fights at this weight, but my real home of homes is middleweight, so I can move down at any time I want and be back as mandatory for my middleweight title and then become a three-time world champion."