Lee-Saunders: Smith vs. Soro Title Fight Added To Show

By Jake Donovan

Adding to what is already a loaded fight bill, the middleweight title fight between Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders—which now takes place October 10 in Manchester, England—will be supported by two more title fights, plus a final eliminator.

In the chief support, newly minted lightweight titlist Terry Flanagan will defend versus Diego Magdaleno. Minutes prior to the official press conference on Monday to confirm the event, it was revealed that the undercard will also include a vacant super welterweight title fight between Liam Smith and Michel Soro. 

Both bouts were formally announced on Monday, following hot rumors 

previously reported by BoxingScene.com News Editor Steve Kim.

The belt at stake became available after Demetrius Andrade was stripped by the World Boxing Organization (WBO) earlier this summer. The unbeaten American is currently appealing the ruling, which may potentially downgrade this matchup to an interim title fight if ruled in his favor, although seemingly a longshot at the moment. 

Smith (20-0-1, 10KOs) will contend for his first major title, though such stage is hardly a new look for his fighting family. His older brother, Paul Smith twice challenged for Arthur Abraham's super middleweight title, while younger brother Callum is on the cusp of his own crack at a super middleweight crown.

"I've been laughing with my brothers, they've fought for a title before me," noted Smith during an on-site interview with BoxNation, which will air the event. "I told him I'm going to be the first world champion in the family."

The October 10 opportunity will likely nix Smith's previously scheduled engagement, as he was budgeted for a domestic title defense on September 5 in London. 

Soro (27-1-1, 17KOs) enters his second career title fight, this one coming on what has been one hell of a year for the veteran spoiler from France. 

The lone loss of Soro's career came in May '12, coming up short in a close but clear decision in favor of then-reigning titlist Zaurbek Baysangurov on the road in Ukraine. He is unbeaten in 10 starts since that fight, including a hard-fought draw with unbeaten Antoine Douglas in his stateside debut last summer, as well as an upset knockout win over Glen Tapia this past May in New Jersey. 

Soro is coming off of an 8th round knockout of Emanuele Blandumara in June, having taken place in Italy. The showdown with Smith will mark his third straight fight in his opponent's home country.

The October 10 bill was formed upon the posponement of the originally scheduled September 19 date for Lee-Saunders. The middleweight title fight was due to take place in Limerick, Ireland. The official explanation offered for the change in date and location was Lee coming down with a virus that would hinder his training camp, with the relocation to Manchester providing a better fit given the timing of the rescheduled bout.

BoxingScene.com UK News Editor Terence Dooley will have a full report of the afternoon's press conference later today.