Despite dominating the fight for a brief period, Billy Joe Saunders couldn’t bag the win against Canelo Alvarez in their latest collision. He was doomed with a few brutal shots in round eight, ultimately having a bruised eye.
Although Saunders seemed eager to continue, the referee had to wave off the contest, making Canelo Alvarez the WBC, WBA, WBO, and Ring super middleweight champion. However, it was a close contest until it lasted.
Billy Joe Saunders had found success in the early stage and didn’t let the P4P king infuse much action. Specifically, he troubled Canelo Alvarez and was advancing on the judge’s scorecard. But the Mexican giant didn’t let the fight go to the judges. He ended it with a brutal right hand and claimed the RTD win.
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That said, several elites and analysts reacted to the fight. They praised Saunders for putting on an intriguing performance. Here’s a look at a few tweets.
And still… congrats Canelo! #CaneloSaunder
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) May 9, 2021
Naturally, Canelo vs. Jake Paul next, right?
JUST KIDDING! RELAX!
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 9, 2021
Corner stoppages are like conceding a chess match. It's not quitting. The match is over. You don't need to physically take the king. I'm sure BJS would have taken a ton more damage in the next round before the ref stopped it, and for what? To go out on his shield? Fuck that.
— Tommy Toe Hold (@TommyToeHold) May 9, 2021
Billy Joe didn’t get the win and he didn’t last the distance, but he boxed beautifully and surely earned himself another big opportunity #CaneloSaunders
— Mike Coppinger (@MikeCoppinger) May 9, 2021
I didn’t think that Billy Jo was winning but I thought the fight was very close
— Claressa Gwoat Shields (@Claressashields) May 9, 2021
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Canelo Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders fight
The bout lived up to the hype. As Billy Joe Saunders wasn’t an easy contender, Canelo Alvarez couldn’t unleash a lopsided beat down. Despite having to fight his way through the contest, the 30-year-old proved himself to be the better man.
CANELO MEANS BUSINESS. 😤 pic.twitter.com/cH2Y37vEK3
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 9, 2021
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While he silenced his critics in fashion, there’s no denying that Canelo Alvarez is a legitimate threat to the division. He outworked a prime Saunders in the ring and showcased his ability to stop a fight. As Alvarez has grabbed the WBO title on his shoulder, he might aim for another unification against IBF titlist Caleb Plant.
Read More | Canelo Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders Set an Indoor Record Attendance at the AT&T Stadium
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That said, Saunders had a commendable night and can rightly keep his head high. ‘Superb’ is now 30-1 as a professional and can look forward to reclaiming his lost title somewhere down the line. Given his showing, a rematch can also be a valid option for ‘Superb’ once he recovers.
What did you make of Canelo Alvarez’s recent win over Billy Joe Saunders?
