Billy Joe Saunders wearing the Southern Area middleweight belt

HATFIELD boxer Billy Joe Saunders lifted the Southern Area middleweight title at Wembley Arena last night (Saturday) with a points victory over Gary Boulden.

Billy Joe Saunders, wearing red shots, in action against Gary Boulden at Wembley Arena

The 2008 Beijing Olympian beat Boulden 99-92 after 10 rounds on the judges’ scorecards in London.

The unbeaten Herts hitter made it 11 wins as a professional, and although he dominated the fight he disappointingly failed to land hardly any body shots against his Surrey opponent.

Boulden did a good job in frustrating Saunders in the ring, often taunting and playing the fool and hitting his gloves together.

Nevertheless, Saunders went the distance and came out of the ring with his first professional title.

Billy Joe Saunders lands a punch in his Southern Area middleweight title fight against Gary Boulden at Wembley Arena

Saunders’ fight was on the undercard of Ricky Burns’ interim WBO lightweight title fight victory over Michael Katsidis, the Scot securing an unanimous points decision.

British and Commonwealth super middleweight champion George Groves also stopped Liverpool’s Paul Smith in round two on the Wembley bill.