By Rick Reeno
Last week, there were widespread industry rumors that WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders (23-0, 12KOs) was going to return as part of the HBO Pay-Per-View undercard to Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez vs. Liam Smith. The card takes place on September 17th.
That rumor quickly grew legs when Saunders announced on social media that his next fight was scheduled for September 17th. While he announced the date, he made no mention of being an addition to the Canelo-Smith card.
Both Saunders and Smith are promoted by Frank Warren.
If Saunders defends his title on the card, the obvious industry theory is that Warren and Golden Boy Promotions - who have Canelo (47-1-1, 33KOs) - are building up a future showdown between their two stars.
Abel Sanchez, who trains WBC/WBA/IBF/IBO middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (35-0, 32KOs), believes Saunders has the ability, the style and the chin to beat Canelo.
And if Saunders defeats Canelo - it would obviously derail any plans for Canelo vs. Golovkin, which is arguably the biggest fight in boxing. Canelo and Golovkin have a "verbal" agreement to fight each other in September 2017.
"I think Billy Joe Saunders' style will give Canelo fits, because Canelo needs to plant to throw a punch. Canelo cannot be mobile when he's punching. Saunders is gonna box you, move on you, give you different angles. And he proved against Andy Lee that he can take a shot. Andy Lee hit him with some good shots and Andy Lee can punch. If Canelo cannot get his punches off and Saunders frustrates him, and then Saunders wins - it will not be because of size, it's because the other guy has more ability," Sanchez told BoxingScene.com.
"And what happens after that? Now the fight that everybody wanted to see [between Canelo and Golovkin] is tarnished. If Billy Joe Saunders beats Canelo, do you really think that [Canelo] is going to come close to Golovkin? Heck no."
