Billy Joe Saunders has revealed he was targeted to fight Chris Eubank Jr in December, in a deal worth millions.
Eubank Jr returned in a keep-busy clash with Kamil Szeremeta in October who he stopped in dominant fashion, with options now opening up for his next fight.
One of them options is bitter rival Joe Saunders, who wasn’t fought since a brutal stoppage defeat to Canelo Alvarez in May 2021.
Saunders narrowly defeated Eubank Jr in their original meeting in November 2014, but British boxing fans have clamoured for a sequel ever since.
The former revealed that ‘heavy talks’ had been held over a rematch for his comeback, but it has yet to materialise.
And the Briton has revealed he was offered a small fortune to meet ‘Next Gen’ in December, an offer he turned down as he wants to be fully prepared.
“I had an interesting conversation with Chris Eubank Jr’s team not long ago,” he told talkSPORT.
“They offered me a heck of a lot of money to go in and fight in December.
“It was in the millions, but I said no. Why was I going to get in the ring and lose the weight and jump straight in and potentially get beat just for money?
“Especially with Eubank, I want a fair crack of the whip and with training and fights to get back in to go and win that fight.
“Everything is on the plate for me, it’s just for me to take at the minute.”
But when asked if a comeback fight against Eubank Jr that would wet his appetite, he named new conditions.
He added: “If it is the Eubank fight, I want to put these people to put a plan in front of me.
“I want to see ‘give you a warm-up fight there, make the fight together and let’s make the fight together for fans’.
“I have no problem with that, but until that happens.
“But at the moment with boxing it feels like I’m getting a ‘take what you get’ kind of offer from people.
“I’m not in that position and I don’t need to put myself in the position to do that right now.”
Saunders fractured his orbital in the defeat to Alvarez, which was the first of his professional boxing career.
It was unclear if he would retire with Saunders taking a lengthy hiatus after the injury, having now not boxed for three years.
Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn suggested he had interest in promoting Saunders’ comeback, but does not believe he is currently ready.
Eubank Jr could prioritise alternative options for the time being, with a showdown against bitter rival Conor Benn likely to be the central option for 2025.
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