Andy Lee victory can earn bout against Billy Joe Saunders

Limerick southpaw can set up WBO World middleweight showdown if he wins in Las Vegas

Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders, both former Irish and British Olympians, will clash in a WBO World middleweight showdown – if the Limerick southpaw Lee does the business in Las Vegas this month.

Saunders, unbeaten in 21 outings, edged Chris Eubank Junior on a split decision in Saturday’s WBO eliminator in London.

Lee meets Russia’s Matt Korobov for the vacant WBO title in Las Vegas on December 13 and Saunders is now the mandatory challenger.

But it was a close call for Saunders in London. He won the earlier rounds, but Eubank finished strong and a draw might have been a fairer result.

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Saunders and Eubank collided on the Tyson Fury versus Dereck Chisora undercard at the ExCel Arena, where Katie Taylor won Olympic gold in 2012.

Fury switched, either through boredom or tactics, from orthodox to southpaw early on and dominated before Chisora was retired by his corner in the 10th round.

Unbeaten Fury, who boxed for Ireland and England as an amateur, reckons he has just the prescription for heavyweight kingpin Wladimir “Dr Steeelhamer” Klitschko.

“Klitschko, I’m coming. No surrender. I’m the Gypsy Warrior!” said the unbeaten giant 6ft 9in puncher after improving to 23 straight wins on Saturday.

Birmingham-born ex Irish pro champion Frankie Gavin outpointed Bradley Skeete on a unanimous decision on the ExCel undercard to secure the vacant British welter title.

Gavin, whose parents are Irish, became the first England boxer to win an AIBA World Elite amateur title in Chicago in 2007 after beating Italy’s Domenico Valentino in the 60kg final.

Meanwhile, Grainne Walsh, Donna Barr, Ashleigh Brown, Shanice Just, Kimberley Walker and Alexandra Kornag claimed National Intermediate titles at Dublin’s National Stadium on Saturday.

The remaining women’s Intermediate finals and all men’s finals will be decided next Friday. TG4 will televise all of the finals live from the National Stadium.