📸 Ed Mulholland

Former world middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders has followed Kell Brook in leaving Dominic Ingle for a new trainer.

Saunders had linked up with Ingle in 2017 and was with the Sheffield coach for arguably his greatest victory to date.

The Hatfield man dominated David Lemieux on Canadian soil following a previous win over Willie Monroe Jr.

Defeating Lemieux was much-talked about across the Atlantic and put Saunders in the shop window for massive fights.

Subsequently, Saunders endured a nightmare 2018 as fights with Martin Murray fell apart.

Late in the year, Saunders competed in a low-key affair against Charles Adamu to see 2018 out with Ingle in his corner.

Months on and Saunders has been training alongside Tyson Fury and Isaac Lowe with friend Ben Davison.

Fury and Davison struck up a superb partnership when introduced by Saunders.

A successful two-fight comeback for Fury culminated in a draw with WBC champion Deontay Wilder late last year. Winning plaudits for his involvement, Davison earned a Trainer of the Year nomination.

Davison could now be ready to link up with Saunders full time.

Ingle had previously worked with another world ruler in Brook. That was until ‘The Special One’ moved on last October, as WBN revealed at the time.

Brook now trains with ex-pro John Fewkes.







SAUNDERS

On the back of winning the WBO title at 160 pounds, Saunders announced a move up in 2019. He is set to battle Shefat Isufi for the vacant belt at 168 pounds in April.

Talk of that encounter being shelved has done the rounds recently as Saunders was the subject of a massive bid from promoter Frank Warren’s rival Eddie Hearn.

As WBN reported on February 26th, Hearn mad a huge eight-figure offer to sign Saunders to Matchroom and DAZN in the USA.

Since then, Saunders has been connected to following Tyson Fury to ESPN and Top Rank in the States.

Up to £80m will be banked by Fury during a five-fight deal with the TV network. Saunders could now be part of future cards featuring the lineal heavyweight ruler.

As things stand, Saunders is still pencilled in for an April 13 battle with Isufi at Wembley Arena. Whilst further clarification will come when Saunders announces his expected US TV deal.