How do you think in hindsight - Billy Joe Saunders vs Callum Smith would have gone ?

I think Callum would be less intimidated against Saunders and land more convincing shots. It's a close fight and probably a SD victory for either.

Saunders isn't like John Ryder or Canelo who can pressure him on the ropes. Saunders is more of a sound technical mover who likes to jab to the body and comes in close to land a one two.

All Saunders bigger fights outside of Lemieux and Monroe have been close affairs. The Andy Lee fight was relatively close and the Eubank Jr fight was closer than it should've been after 6 rounds.

 

Depends which versions of both fighters turn up, both have had off nights and both have looked good in spells. Both at their best I’d narrowly favour BJS, but Smith can land big shots if he actually bothers to fight.

 

At 168 Smith was done after Groves I think, so I'd favour Saunders.

 

Saunders probably in a jab fest

 

When was the last time Saunders done that against a decent level opponent?

 

Issue with giving a fair answer to that is who was the last decent level opposition he fought?

 

Saunders by points.

 

Smith imo. Better 12 round fighter, a better engine. He was outclassed by Canelo but was fighting for 7 rounds with one arm. He still went the distance. BJS is and never has been a SMW.

 

I think this is all about timing. On both senses of the word. I think it's about how Billy Joe times his in and out shots and how Smith can time him. Therefore it will be about activity. I'd say whoever has boxed most rounds in the year leading to that fight would be considered slight favourite but I think Billy's speed and boxing would be key and I'm not a fan of Smith against someone quick with hands and feet. Callum Smith looks amazing against guys who come forward with power shots that are slower, he hits well with either hand but I think against someone who is fast and on and out style could cause him problems. I'd give the edge to Billy however Smith would beat him he was more active than Saunders

 

Billy is the more elusive fighter and Smith seemed to struggle with the southpaw stance of Ryder. I think Saunders footwork would have caused Smith problems to as he wouldn't let him set his feet. That said, Smith has height, range and power, it only takes one shot to turn a fight on its head.

BJS points or Smith stoppage.

 

Smith has been looking dead at the weight recently.

 

BJS UD points win for me.

Smith clearly struggling seriously with 168, he has the frame of a cruiserweight there's only so many times you can boil yourself down when your naturally so big. Billy would have outboxed him over 12 rounds in what would have been a fairly uneventful fight.

 

I agree.

 

Don't write Smith off too much.

Remember he did take the fight at short notice.

Maybe he spent the whole camp taking off weight and did it too fast.

Maybe with a longer camp he could have been stronger and sharper. He probably thought he was good to go before he cut the weight.

It was obvious from the 1st bell he was ****ed,

Billy Joe got it all the way he wanted which was a fair fight and still got annihilated.

Smith thought he was good enough and wanted it so much that he went in disadvantaged and under prepared.

Maybe you might say what about the Ryder fight, what about the Argentinian cab driver fight. Smith thought Ryder was easy work so probably came in under prepared mentally too