WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders lets loose on ESPN’s lead boxing reporter Dan Rafael after the journalist says the Englishman ran from fighters.

Journalists and fighters having a difference of opinion is not uncommon in a sport as internationally diverse as boxing, where fighters from different countries are often involved in negotiations for cross-Atlantic bouts that frequently fall through.

ESPN’s highly respected boxing journalist Dan Rafael took to twitter this week to break the story that Saunders is now off the upcoming Canelo vs Smith show in Texas, which prompted Saunders to get in touch with the American boxing writer:

To which Rafael replied:

Saunders ran from GGG and now he’s turning down all his victims too (Stevens, Rosado, Monroe). lol — Dan Rafael (@danrafaelespn) August 11, 2016

What then ensued from Saunders was, well, this:

@danrafaelespn ok bring me your mother you fat cunt and I’ll bend the slag over ) you talk a lot but you need to get of your fat ass — billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) August 11, 2016

@danrafaelespn and get some of that flap off you fat Grease Pig ?? — billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) August 11, 2016

@danrafaelespn you put me in the mind of a paedophile hw can you talk boxing ? and all your middleweight boxers in US are Bums! — billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) August 11, 2016

@danrafaelespn get a statement of golden boy why I’m not on the bill! But plz sort your over sized fat head out you Paedophile — billyjoesaunders (@bjsaunders_) August 11, 2016

There’s always been a healthy rivalry between US and UK boxing, but the above takes things to a new level at least in terms of UK fighters calling out US journalists and vice versa.

(Image source: Twitter)

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