Bradley Saunders Targets Vegas with Warm Weather Trip to MGM

FORMER Olympic boxer Bradley Saunders has put short-term title hopes on the back-burner by targeting Las Vegas as his first big goal – provided he stays unbeaten for the rest of 2013.
The highly-promising welterweight is ready to end six-months of injury frustration next month when he returns to the ring at the Wembley Arena on July 20.
An opponent has not been named yet, although he is confident of extending his unbeaten start to his professional career to six contests and wants to win three more fights before the end of the year.

If successful then Saunders is looking to the United States next year as a serious destination to fight, having had a rethink over his plans to compete for a domestic belt sooner rather than later.
“You know what, things have changed,” said Saunders, due to return from a training break in Marbella next week. “Fighting for a an English and a British title had been what I wanted to do, but I’m looking at things differently.
“I have sat down with Frank Warren (manager) and coach Ronnie Brown to look at what we want to do. I’m not in any rush now to go for a title like. I’m not thinking about that.
“It could mean a world title shot comes up before anything else and I will be happy with that if that’s the route I go down. I’ve always wanted to fight in Vegas and that looks like it will happen.”

First Saunders must negotiate his way through the rest of this year. After next month’s outing at Wembley, he is keen to make up for lost time by emerging through three more bouts before Christmas.
Having been ruled out of action since undergoing career changing surgery on his troubled left hand which worsened during his victory over Peter McDonagh in November, he has had to be patient.
But he is satisfied his warm weather training trip to Spain has been perfect preparation for his comeback.
“It’s been ideal,” said Saunders. “I must thank everyone here at the MGM Gym in Puerto Banus and my friend out here Michael has really looked after us. I feel completely refreshed and fit to go.
“I was happy with the progress I had made before I needed the operation, even if I would have liked to fight more since the McDonagh fight.
“By the end of the year I will have had eight fights and hopefully I will be up to ten rounds, so I will be ready to hit the 12 rounds next year.”
The former Commonwealth silver medalist and former world and European champion at amateur level made light work of his contests over McDonagh, Ivan Godor, Kevin McCauley, Danny Dontchev and Jason Nesbitt.
But he is ready to step up again. “Wembley Arena on the Dereck Chisora versus Malik Scott bill will be something. I’ve had some big shows I’ve been involved in, it’s all experience.
“I’m not even thinking about losing before the end of the year. I want to stay unbeaten, I won’t be losing, and if that’s the case then my dream of fighting in Vegas could be here sooner than I would have thought.”
Back in the North-East and Sunderland’s Kirk Goodings is confident ahead of the fast-approaching Wear-Tees duel with Middlesbrough’s Shafiq Asif.
The pair will got toe-to-toe on Phil Jeffries’ Summer Rumble bill at the Stadium of Light on July 7 and Goodings is in no mood to suffer a second defeat on his otherwise immaculate nine-fight pro record.
“I’m very pleased with my career so far,” said Goodings. “Although I have that defeat on my record, when you look at the fight and my performance on a just a week’s training, I think it just speaks for itself. So I know in the back of my mind now I can go as far as 12 rounds, and that’s one thing less to worry about.”
Also on the Sunderland bill will be Newcastle’s Andrew Buchanan against Wearsider Jonson McClumpha, South Shields’ Anthony Nelson will fight Middlesbrough’s Mohammed Waqas while Durham’s Ben Jackson will be up against Newcastle’s Chris Bennett.
There will also be appearances from Prizefighter winner Glenn Foot, English bantamweight champion Martin Ward, plus undefeated prospects Lee Mould, Tommy Ward and Peter Cope. Anthony Hardy will make his debut.http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/10471222.Fit_again_Saunders_aims_for_Vegas_jackpot/?ref=twtrec