Billy Joe Saunders would love to give Spike a World Title ‘payday”

Gary O’Sullivan has a chance of challenging for a World title in early 2018, but has no chance of winning one claims his mate Billy Joe Saunders.

‘Spike’ has put himself into fight contention with an impressive stoppage win over Anotoine Douglas live on HBO earlier this month.

The win sees the Cork man become a viable World level contender, but his options are limited as Gennady Golovkin, who is preoccupied with one Saul Alvarez, holds three of the crowns.

Former foe Billy Joe Saunders holds the remaining title and, after he successfully defended his WBO middleweight crown against dangerous puncher David Lemieux on the same card as O’Sullivan’s most recent win, is now in search of an opponent.

The Queensberry middleweight claims he is open to a rematch with the Paschal Collins-trained fighter, who he has become very close to since they fought in London back in 2013.

Indeed the fighter who dethroned Andy Lee went as far to suggest he would “love” a London Cork repeat.

“Spike is a very good friend of mine. We had a little fall-out on Twitter but we have made up now. He is a really good fighter, a lot of people don’t give him credit but he’s tough for anybody — he can punch,” Saunders told The Sun

“I would love to fight him again, I really mean that. Personally I’d love to say yes to a rematch next year. For one he’s my mate so I’d like to give him a payday, get him in the ring and get him some money. He is also deserving of a world title shot and guess what? I’ve got the belt.”

Spike himself is keen, but there are suggestions that – considering how well Saunders dealt with the come forward style of Canadian Lemieux – the Cork man may be best served to look for big name scalps that are more vulnerable to his come-forward style.

The champion himself seems to agree. While he had kind words for the big punching 33 year old, he was adamant ‘Spike’ wouldn’t be able to live with him at 11st 6lbs.

Interestingly enough he did indicate that having sparred his former foe and current friend at 12 stone he may do damage if the pair were ever to meet at super middle, which is very unlikely.

“Maybe in his own head he thinks he has got better since last time so he has a chance of beating me. But he won’t.”

“I battered him last time, I’m surprised he wants it again. He has come over for sparring since then and we were sparring at 12st. Wow, he can really punch at that weight.

“He can punch like a heavyweight at 12st, super-middle, but doing the middleweight limit of 11st 6lb just saps a little bit out of him.

“I’m not saying he’s better off going up in weight but at 12st his power increases rapidly from what it is at 11st 6lb.

“Making weight saps us all a bit but his power at 12st is frightening. At 11st 6lb he hasn’t got enough to stop me and it would be another hard night for him, mark my words.”