• Middleweight

Eubank Jr told Saunders: The better man won

Billy Joe Saunders has a newfound respect for Chris Eubank Jr after his beaten opponent admitted 'the better man won' following their European, Commonwealth and British title fight on Saturday night.

Saunders and Eubank engaged in a vicious verbal battle in the build-up to the fight before going the distance at the ExCeL Arena, as Eubank fought back from a slow start to end strong, but not strong enough to prevent Saunders from winning on a split decision.

"He earned my respect as a fighter," said Saunders, who baulked at the 116-113 scorecard in favour of Eubank. "He couldn't be any fairer with what he said.

Billy Joe Saunders admitted to easing off in the second half of the fight but insists he was confident of victory at the final bell © Getty Images

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"He said afterwards in some interview that he thought he won the fight by two rounds, but he didn't say that to me. He told me the better man won - but his dad wasn't around then."

Saunders, who installed himself as the mandatory challenger for the winner of the vacant WBO world title fight between Matt Korobov and Andy Lee, admitted to easing off during the second half of the fight after comfortably winning the opening rounds.

"The first five rounds were so easy - I've had harder spars," Saunders told Buncey's Boxing Podcast. "And I got a little bit complacent. In the sixth round I started to mix it a little bit.

"Then he started talking to me, and for some reason I just got in a little war. That was more his game.

"I knew that he was going to be good - he's a fit lad and he pushed me to the wire, but when the bell went I knew I'd won."

Saunders, unbeaten in 22 fights, paid tribute to Eubank for recovering to put him through "probably one of my hardest" bouts, but believes the combination of hype and lack of big-fight experience counted against the son of the former middleweight and super-middleweight world champion.

"If you looked in the papers, it was all him, him, him. That sort of took the pressure off me," Saunders said, admitting that he put himself under pressure by vowing to retire had he lost the fight.

"When I was in the corner I looked over and could see their corner arguing with each other, and that gave me nothing but confidence.

"He pushed me, and everyone in the crowd could see it wasn't a walk in the park, but when I saw them arguing with each other I knew it was over for him."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd