Andy Lee vs Billy Joe Saunders could take place on St Patrick's weekend

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Promoter Frank Warren is keen on staging a St Patrick’s weekend showdown between Andy Lee and Billy Joe Saunders.

Lee claimed the vacant WBO middleweight world championship with a sixth-round stoppage win over Russian Matt Korobov on Saturday night, with the victory setting him on a collision course with European champion Saunders.

While Lee will celebrate the win at a civic reception in his native Limerick on Wednesday, Warren is already planning for a spring blockbuster with his man Saunders, the WBO’s No 1 contender, and he could yet have a major say in fight plans as the promoter of the mandatory challenger when he sits down with Lee’s manager and trainer, Adam Booth, and US promoter Lou DiBella.

Andy Lee stopped Matt Korobov in the sixth round in Las Vegas in win the WBO middleweight world title

Lee celebrates with his new belt (left) and referee Kenny Bayless brings the fight to a halt (right)

The British champion had been in line to fight for the title but ended up taking on bitter rival Chris Eubank Jr, whom he defeated on a split decision. Warren maintains that his fighter is first in line for a shot and, favouring a March date, claims he is open to the idea of a St Patrick’s Weekend battle. 

‘That sounds good, doesn’t it? There’s lots of different connotations for this fight. It’s two Travellers, and there’s all sorts of ways you can look at it,’ said Warren. ‘The WBO have ordered it, that was part of the deal. I agreed with Adam [Booth] that we’d step aside to let the [Korobov] fight happen, which is what we’ve done, so we just want to get it on. March would be perfect for it.’

Both former Olympians have said they are willing to fight but Lee has insisted that he will only defend his title in Ireland, challenging Saunders to fight in Dublin or Limerick.

Billy Joe Saunders (right) will be Lee's first challenger after his victory over Chris Eubank Jnr last month

Warren suggested he is open to the idea of Saunders crossing the Irish Sea, but on Lee’s demand for a title defence in Ireland, he said: ‘There’s no stipulation on that at all. There’s never been a discussion and we don’t know what’s going to happen with that. It’s all about us sitting down and the fight going where it makes the most money, that’s the bottom line. 

'I absolutely understand that, but we’ll see what happens when we get together,’ added Warren on Lee’s wish for a home date. ‘I’m always open to putting a show on in Ireland, I’ve got no problem with that but obviously we’ve got to get everyone agreeing to that.’

On the possibility of purse bids, he said: ‘Adam Booth and I had an agreement and obviously that will be honoured. He [Lee] wouldn’t have got the shot if it weren’t for the fact that we stepped aside.

‘We’ll let them get back from the States. We’ll get together and go through it and see where we’re going to go with it. I’m looking forward to getting it on. It’s a good fight for the Irish and the Brits.’