He might be Irish and indeed Andy Lee’s cousin but according to Billy Joe Saunders claims new world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is backing him to beat Limerick’s WBO middleweight World champion.

Undefeated ace Saunders, who lives on a travellers’ site in Hatfield, challenges the WBO World Middleweight Champion Andy Lee for his crown on Saturday 19th December at the Manchester Arena, live and exclusive on BoxNation.

The 26-year-old is deep in preparations at the MGM training facility in Marbella for his massive showdown against Lee, but made sure he watched Fury’s sensational upset of long-reigning heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko.

“Tyson did what he said he was going to do and shook the world,” Said Saunders.

“A lot of people said he couldn’t do it and it was an impossible job, but I backed him from day one to beat Klitschko,”

“He proved that he’s a real champion by going into the lion’s den and beating a true great in Klitschko in his own backyard,”

“No one has done that to Klitschko before and it shouldn’t be underplayed,”

“I couldn’t be happier for him and his achievement. We spoke the next day and he was over the moon about his win as he rightly should be, Britain has a new heavyweight champion of the world,”

“It fantastic that the world heavyweight champion is a travelling lad, the flagship division is now ruled by a traveller, now it’s my turn to bring another world title to our community and for Britain,”

“Tyson said he’s backing me to win the WBO World Middleweight title against Lee and then we’ll both rule.”

“I believe that this is the start of a new era in boxing for gypsy fighters, Tyson’s world champion, I’m going to beat Lee and become the next world champion, and there are plenty more travelling lads coming through who are all potential world champions.”

Frank Warren’s end of year title extravaganza ‘X-Mas Cracker’ is headlined by two massive world title showdowns with WBO World Middleweight Champion Andy Lee defending his title against Billy Joe Saunders and WBO World Super-Welterweight Champion Liam Smith making his first title defence against Jimmy Kelly. A staggering SIX further titles are on the line with Mitchell Smith defending his WBO Intercontinental Super-Featherweight title against George Jupp; Paul Butler challenges for the Vacant WBO European Super-Flyweight Championship against Silvio Olteanu; Tommy Langford defends his WBO Intercontinental Middleweight Championship; Commonwealth Super-Welterweight Champion Liam Williams and Kris Carslaw clash with the Vacant British title also on the line; Jack Catterall defends his WBO Intercontinental Super-Lightweight Championship, and Tom Stalker and Craig Evans clash again for the Vacant WBO European Lightweight Championship. The undercard features Merseyside favourite Joe Selkirk in a six-round contest, Indian superstar Vijender Singh, Anthony Yarde and top Manchester prospects Jack Flattley and Dale Coyne, plus Razza Hamza.