PROMOTER Frank Warren today held the final press conference ahead of Saturday’s vacant WBO world super-middleweight title clash between Billy Joe Saunders and Shefat Isufi at The Lamex Stadium, home of Stevenage FC.

Saunders, who comes from nearby Hatfield will be bidding to become a two-weight world champion having previously held the WBO middleweight crown.

Also on the bill is fast emerging London heavyweight star and Olympic silver medalist Joe Joyce who faces giant Russian former world title challenger Alexander Ustinov.

In a double title fight Lichfield’s British super-bantamweight champion Brad Foster meets Bristol’s Commonwealth belt holder Ashley Lane.

Here are a selection of quotes from the presser.

FRANK WARREN

Bill should be in a position to have big fights and he will get them. It is a shame that fighters avoid him. We twice signed to fight Golovkin and I know Canelo’s connections don’t want to know. I had a chat with Joe Gallagher a couple weeks ago about Callum Smith and he said ‘in a couple of fights time’, but Callum will be light-heavyweight by then. Chris Eubank Jr has shown no interest in avenging his loss to Bill.

Ustinov is a big, big man and I know him very well. This is a tough fight for Joe and a step up for him. Joe doesn’t want marking time fights and this is no gimme. Joe is out to make a statement and cannot afford to slip up.

BILLY JOE SAUNDERS

This has been a long time coming. I had a terrible 2018 and feel my title was robbed from me. I jumped at this fight when it was offered and I will become a two-weight world champion.

I’m not looking past Isufi, but I am looking for the big names. I am 29, I know I have got it inside me and nobody has seen my best.

With the backing of BT Sport we can make the big fights. It is all fine saying I look good hitting the pads, but I have to be on my A game and send a message to the other super-middleweights.

If I do bring it, I should box his head off. Whatever he brings I will fetch ten-fold more.

I have been training with Ben and it has been good, enjoyable and great bouncing around with Tyson Fury. Everything has gone well and I’m enjoying boxing again.

SHEFAT ISUFI

I am doing this for me, but to become Albania’s first world boxing champion is big for them and also Germany as I box under their flag.

Billy Joe will be trying everything to win and so will I.

If Billy Joe did win I will congratulate him, but it will be the other way around.

Billy Joe is quick, fast and a hard puncher. I can also punch and one punch could make the difference.

My father died when I was young and he is always in my mind. When I win I will go to his grave and thank him.

JOE JOYCE

I am fighting fit and good to go. Training has gone well with Adam Booth. I am looking for nine wins, nine knockouts.

Ustinov is very experienced, big, strong, tough and this is a step up. I have to beat him to get to the next level. I know what he has in his arsenal and what I have to do to beat him. He can punch, but I take a shot and give one back.

ALEXANDER USTINOV

This is a very hard fight and I am prepared to win. Joe is a very good boxer and I know him well. We will see who is the strongest boxer this weekend. Joe wants to knock me out, but everyone thinks they win by knockout.

BRAD FOSTER

I have been learning on the job and picked up the British title in my last fight against Josh Wale when I was the away fighter so I am not doing too badly. Ash has got a lot more experience and this is no walkover. It is a tough fight. I am a happy Brad and when I’m happy I perform better.

ASHLEY LANE

I watched him against Josh and it was a good performance. In my last seven fights I have turned my career around after up and downs. My experience and what I have learned from the last two years will give me the strength to win. I spar with Lee Haskins, Lee Selby and Andrew Selby. That is a high level of sparring.

Tickets for saturday night’s show can be purchased via borotickets.co.uk and are priced as below:

£250 – Hospitality

£150 – Pitch

£100 – Pitch

£75 – Pitch

£50 – Stand

£40 – Stand are now completely sold out

More information on saturday night’s show can be found in this helpful guide.

JOE JOYCE WILL encounter a giant in the shape of former world title challenger Alexander Ustinov when he returns to the ring on May 18 at the Lamex Stadium live on BT Sport.

Subject to VISA, the 6ft 7.5″ Russian will provide a tall order for the 8-0 Joyce, who is having his first fight following his promotional alignment with Frank Warren at the home of Stevenage FC as chief support to Billy Joe Saunders challenging for the vacant WBO Interim world super middleweight title against Shefat Isufi.

Ustinov, 34-3 (25 KOs) has longed been ranked highly amongst the heavyweight contenders and was unbeaten over the first seven years of his professional career until challenging for the European title and the vacant IBF world title against Kubrat Pulev in September 2012.

He remained unbeaten during his next seven fights, during which time he won the WBA International belt, before falling to a points defeat in a bid to win the vacant WBA regular world title against Manuel Charr in November 2017.

Joyce has won the WBA Gold title in his last fight against former world champion Bermane Stiverne in February, having previously become Commonwealth and WBA Continental champion.

The Olympic silver medallist is also mandatory for British, European and WBA regular world title challenges following a successful start to his professional career that has seen him register eight straight victories via KO.

“I could have waited until the big fight night on July 13th, but I wanted to keep busy. I didn’t want a journeyman, so we chose a 6 foot 8 inch giant and former world heavyweight title challenger Alexander Ustinov who’s only lost 3 times. He is big, awkward and he can punch. My aim is to take him out in spectacular fashion and put on a great show for the fans at the Lamex stadium.

Tickets can be purchased via borotickets.co.uk and are priced as below:

£250 – Hospitality
£150 – Pitch
£100 – Pitch
£75 – Pitch
£50 – Stand
£40 – Stand

Michael Hunter stopped Alexander Ustinov in round nine of their scheduled 12-round heavyweight bout.

In round eight, Hunter, who had been breaking down the 6’9″ Ustinov landed a big right hand to the head that sent Ustinov down. Ustinov got to his feet, bleeding from his forehead and wobbly. In the next frame, Hunter landed a series of punches that sent Ustinov down again, and the fight was stopped at 1:52.

Hunter, 213.8 lbs is now 16-1 with 11 knockouts. Ustinov, 278.8 lbs of Russia is 34-3.

Kal Yafai was fortunate to retain his WBA Super flyweight title with a unanimous decision over Israel Gonzalez.

Gonzalez seemed to have gotten the better of the action as he landed the combinations to Yafai’s one punch at a time. It would not have been an argument if Gonzalez would have received the nod by three or four points, but Yafai won by scores of 117-111 and 116-112 twice.

Yafai, 114.9 lbs of Birmingham, UK is 25-0, Gonzalez, 115 lbs of Mexico is 23-3.

2016 Olympic Gold Medal winner Daniyat Yeleussinov stopped Marco Mojica in round three of their scheduled eight-round welterweight fight.

In round two, Yeleussinov pelted Mojica with left hands until one put him on the canvas. Yeleussinov dropped Mojica to begin round three. Mojica seemed like he did not want to continue, but he stood in there and took a few more vicious shots until he ate a hrd uppercut and the bout was stopped at 1:10.

Yeleussinov, 147.7 lbs of Kazakhstan is 5-0 with three knockouts. Mojica, 145.9 lbs of Managua, NIC is 16-3-2.

Fanlong Meng remained undefeated with a 5th round stoppage over Frank Buglioni due to a cut.

In round five, Buglioni was cut around the right eye. It was a bad cut, and the bout was stopped at 1:58.

Meng, 174.1 lbs of China is 14-0 with nine knockouts. Buglioni, 174 lbs of England is 22-4-1.

A deal has been reached for a WBA Interim Heavyweight title bout between champion Luis Ortiz and Alexander Ustinov according to Dan Rafael of espn.com.

“We have a deal in place with Frank Warren,” said Golden Boy Promotions vice-president Eric Gomez, referring to Ustinov’s promoter. “We have an agreement in principle, but nothing is signed. We are going to contract this week, and we will notify the WBA that we have a deal.”

“So we kept negotiating with Frank Warren, and we were able to come to an agreement,” Gomez said. “The fight will be on HBO, and we’re looking at August or September.”

“King Kong is ready, willing and able to fight anybody. He will fight anyone,” Gomez said. “We are looking forward to getting this fight with Ustinov on.”