Canelo Alvarez says Billy Joe Saunders is the most despised opponent during his 19-year professional career. In an interview, the Mexican star Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) quickly named the former two-division world champion Saunders (30-1, 14 KOs) disliked the most.
The Fight That Ended Saunders’ Career
Canelo sent the British fighter Saunders into retirement by breaking his face in the eighth round of their clash on May 8th, 2021.
Saunders was too hurt to continue after being nailed by a powerful uppercut from Canelo in the eighth round of that contest, resulting in fractures of his left eye socket. Up to that point in the fight, Saunders had been out-boxing Canelo and seeming to annoy him.
Saunders gassed out in the seventh and was vulnerable prey for Canelo in the eighth. Billy Joe had been leaning forward throughout the fight with hands down, daring Canelo to throw and then making him miss. However, in the eighth, Saunders paid for his showboating by getting tagged by Canelo with an uppercut that broke his face.
The Golden Retirement?
“Billy Joe Saunders and that’s why he got what he deserved. Some fighters talk to sell a fight, but I think he’s a bad person, and I really enjoyed beating that guy,” said Canelo to Premier Boxing Champions when asked who he disliked the most during his career.
Saunders got on Canelo’s nerves during the build-up to the fight, trash-talking him during their face-offs and seeming to relish criticizing him during interviews. The British fighter had always been top-notch at irritating his opponents, but he took it to another level against Canelo.
The money Saunders made from the fight might be why he hasn’t fought since. Billy Joe’s purse for the fight, a cool $8 million, and what he’d already made during his career gave him a big enough nest egg not to need to fight.
Comeback Unlikely
In recent photos of Saunders, he looks like he’s been eating high on the hog, packing on the pounds, and having a late Elvis appearance. As big as Saunders is, his chances of a successful comeback are zero.
He’s on too much weight. However, that doesn’t mean he can’t return to re-stock his bank account with fights against other British domestic-level fighters like Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr. Those fights would sell in the UK.
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