Billy Joe Saunders traveled across the pond and, simply put, held a master class in boxing over 12 rounds.

He retained his WBO middleweight title with a unanimous decision over David Lemieux in the challenger’s hometown of Laval, Canada, on HBO. One judge scored it a shutout, 120-108. The other scores: 118-110 and 117-111.

Saunders (26-0, 12 knockouts) was in control from the onset with his excellent jab and outlanded the Canadian 103-12 in that department. Saunders connected on a staggering 37 percent of his jabs and bloodied Lemieux’s nose.

Lemieux, a former 160-pound titleholder, had no answers for Saunders and said he hurt his left hand in Round 2.

“I know you’re booing me because I whipped your fighter’s ass, but that’s boxing,” said Saunders, 28. “I knew what he was coming for, I look easy to whip, I look easy to put down, but you can’t hit me. I like to come to someone’s backyard because I perform better.”

Saunders credited trainer Dominic Ingle with his transformation into an elite level fighter. Now, the Brit is in position to fight the likes of Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez, but first, he figures to meet Daniel Jacobs or Demetrius Andrade.