Billy Joe Saunders Says He Wants to Fight Canelo Alvarez and Miguel Cotto

New WBO world middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders has ruled out a rematch with Chris Eubank Jr., telling reporters he wants to move ahead and fight Miguel Cotto and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.

The 26-year-old took the title from Andy Lee on Saturday, winning by majority decision, and while he wouldn't rule out a rematch with Lee, he's clearly looking forward to the biggest fights possible, per Sky Sports' Isaac Robinson:

"

Eubank is fighting people I beat two years ago. Let him go down the WBA route. Let him go and fight Daniel Jacobs. Don't get mandatory for a world title, thinking you're world level and then go back to fight for the British.

[...]

I want Cotto and I want Canelo. I'd love them fights. I'm ready to step up. I've beaten Spike and I've beaten Eubank Jr. I'm world champion now and I've got the say. I'm going to have Christmas off and we'll go from there.

Since I've been a young boy I have loved the Cotto fight. His style suits me. I would take it next. I'd have two weeks off and look for the new year. I've wanted it since I was a boy. It would be a dream and going to America to do it would be an even bigger dream.

A rematch could go too. We could do a bigger event down in London. We can talk about that. That was a good fight and fair play. There was no trash talk - two proper fighting men.

"

Saunders and Eubank Jr. squared off in one of the most anticipated fights of the British boxing calendar in 2014, with the former coming away with a split-decision win. Eubank Jr. looked far too tentative in the bout and actually had the upper hand in the championship rounds, leading many to believe he could have won the fight.

Per BoxRec.com, he has won every fight since, and he's looked much improved doing so. BT Sport's Ian Darke even thinks he might beat Saunders should they meet again:

Saunders knocked defending champion Lee down twice in the third round on Saturday, which was enough to win a tactical bout low on energy or drama. Both southpaws used the jab and refused to throw any combinations or go to the body in a fight destined to go to the cards.

The win opens up a wealth of options for Saunders, who joined the list of British world champions and happens to be fighting in one of the most popular weight classes of the moment. Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin are among the top fighters in the world in terms of popularity, and Cotto remains a big name as well.

Saunders came into the fight with Lee as a talented middleweight with quick hands and excellent footwork, but there were some questions about his power. He answered those in the third, via Boxing-Hype.com:

He's still not a knockout artist, which may actually make it easier for him to make a fight against someone like Cotto or Canelo happen. The latter insists he won't fight Golovkin above 155 pounds, per BoxingScene.com's Ryan Burton, and those are the kind of politics Saunders won't have to worry about as much.

Whether he's popular enough to sell a major fight against Canelo or Cotto remains to be seen, and he may have to set up a title defence before opening talks with one of those top stars.

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