Katie Taylor boxes clever over Billy Joe Saunders’ sexist remark

Katie Taylor managed to pull her punches but still land a knockout blow to middleweight WBO title challenger Billy Joe Saunders’ below-the-belt sexist attack on women’s boxing.

In an interview on the iFL TV YouTube channel, Saunders, who will take on Andy Lee in Thomond Park in September, aired his views, saying: “I think women are there for sex every night; hard sex. Cleaning, cooking, washing, and sex. They’re not there to put on headgear and get punched. That’s my opinion on women, but I’m just a sex maniac.”

BJS: I think women are there for sex every night..hard sex..cleanin, cookin, washin, and sex. Not there to put on headgear and get punched

— webboxingleague (@webboxingleague) July 23, 2015

Taylor, who awaits confirmation she can fight on the Thomond Park undercard, parried with her characteristic calm, simply tweeting: “I feel sorry for his wife and daughter if that’s his only view of women.”

I feel sorry for his wife and daughter if that's his only view of women. https://t.co/YXSKHTVX22

— Katie Taylor (@KatieTaylor) July 23, 2015

Saunders’ comments ignited a Twitter storm, with Taylor’s followers expressing outrage, urging her to “get him in the ring and teach him a lesson”.

Conor Hicks tweeted:“You should just offer him a charity match and punch him into a coma, Katie.”

‘BrayGuy’ tweeted: “Tell him to come out to Bray and say that.”

Saunders, the current Commonwealth middleweight champion, hasn’t endeared himself to a Taylor-worshipping nation as he prepares to meet defending champion Andy Lee on Lee’s home turf of Limerick this autumn in front of an expected crowd of 33,000.

While Saunders doesn’t agree with women’s boxing, he admitted respecting Olympic Gold champion Taylor’s achievements later in the interview.

In a historic first for the women’s game, talks are ongoing as to whether or not lightweight Taylor will box on the undercard in September, with Andy Lee supporting her appearance.

Not only will the Thomond Park date be the first ever world title fight to take place in Limerick, it will also be the first time two Traveller men meet to compete for a title.