Billy Joe Saunders receives Canelo Alvarez warning as British challenger given advice
Boxing: Saunders says Canelo ring issue has been solved
When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Billy Joe Saunders will need a surprise knockout in order to beat Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and unify the super-middleweight division this weekend, according to former WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi. The British fighter currently holds the WBO strap but is aiming to dethrone pound-for-pound king Canelo and steal the 30-year-old’s WBA, WBC and The Ring titles in front of a partisan crowd in Texas.
The latter is widely regarded as the finest boxer on the planet, and will go into the weekend’s bout as the overwhelming favourite.
However, Saunders has never lost a professional fight and will have no plans to relinquish his unbeaten record at the AT&T Stadium in front of 60,000 fans.
A bitter row over the size of the ring has dominated the headlines during the build-up, with Saunders and his camp threatening to walk away from the bout if their demands were not met.
Thankfully, the situation has since been resolved, with the weekend’s main event set to get underway at around 4.00am on Sunday morning for UK viewers.
Saunders is likely to face a tough night against Canelo, who has only been defeated by Floyd Mayweather over the course of his 16-year career.
JUST IN: Canelo Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders back on with ring issue ‘sorted’
The Guadalajara native is known for his frightening power and impressive counter-punching ability, and will be looking to play to his strengths with the hope of sealing a 56th professional victory inside the distance.
Malignaggi, who retired from boxing in 2017, has suggested that Saunders will need to put Canelo to sleep in order to win on Sunday morning.
The 40-year-old told World Boxing News that he cannot envisage anything other than a defeat for the Hertfordshire-born fighter if the bout goes to the scorecards, claiming that any decision will go Canelo’s way regardless of his performance.
“Whatever Saunders does, he’s going to get robbed,” said Malignaggi.
“It’s a good fight, Saunders and Canelo. Saunders can win that fight in our minds, but he can also lose.
“It’s a 50-50 fight. He can win that fight in our minds. I don’t think he can win on the scorecards, no.”
Saunders and Canelo were dragged apart during a heated face-off on Wednesday evening, with the former taunting and pointing at his opponent as tensions rose.
He claimed earlier this month that he is unfazed by the challenge that awaits him on Sunday morning, stressing that his desire to win is so great that he would never speak to his children again if it would guarantee him victory.
“I don’t give a s*** about Canelo Alvarez, not two s****,” Saunders told The Telegraph.
“For me in my own brain, I’ve planned this out in my own head and I’ve been dreaming this since I was a little boy fighting in the front room. I’ve visualised this day coming.
“People say I haven’t lived the life, I ain’t done it right but I’m here. Two-weight world champion, two-time world champion, 30 fights, 30 wins, won every single title on the way.
“I’m here for a reason, 100 per cent. As I said, if I win this fight, let me win this fight, let me say goodbye to my kids, I’d say adios, I’d go today, I’d sign the deal to do that now.
“I reckon Canelo has the same feelings. For me this is about legacy, this ain’t about money. Money comes, money goes. We all know that.
“Money is dust to me, money’s not everything. To win this fight, when you die this lives on for years and years and years.”
Source: Read Full Article