By Carlos Boogs
WBO middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders (23-0, 12KOs) is pretty confident that he can hand Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (48-1-1, 34KOs) the second defeat of his pro career.
Saunders has been inactive since capturing the WBO world title last December with a decision victory over Andy Lee at the Manchester Arena. He returns on October 22nd, at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, against Artur Akavov.
Last month at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - Canelo battered Saunders' stablemate Liam Smith to capture the WBO junior middleweight world title.
Originally Saunders was booked to defend his title on the Canelo-Smith undercard, but he was pulled after a disagreement over the opponent. The appearance on the card was supposed to build towards a December 10th fight with Canelo. Saunders' being pulled is a moot point because Canelo suffered a hand injury in the main event and had to cancel his December ring return.
Canelo is likely going to fight again in May, as part of Cinco De Mayo weekend. Saunders is a very strong possibility to face Canelo on that date. Canelo wants to move up to the middleweight limit of 160-pounds for his next fight, and build to a showdown with WBC/WBA/IBF/IBO champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin next September.
Saunders has serious doubts that Canelo's team will accept that fight, because of the stylistic differences. He feels Canelo has a tendency to struggle with boxers - as he did with Floyd Mayweather Jr., Erislandy Lara and Austin Trout. Canelo lost to Mayweather, and won close decisions over Lara and Trout.
If he's unable to get Canelo, Saunders would like to fight Golovkin in February or March - provided Golovkin wins his next fight in December - possibly against mandatory challenger Daniel Jacobs.
"Every time Canelo fights, you can pick up more faults out of Canelo [than Golovkin]. I mean personally, in my opinion, I beat Canelo seven days a week and twice on Sundays. He's a good fighter. He’s a good inside fighter. I think he’d struggle with someone with a very good boxing brain - and I think my style is all wrong for him, all wrong. Because it's easy for him to make the fight. I know he's injured at the moment, but I don’t think [Canelo's team] would be keen for that fight - but Golovkin to me is the better fighter," Saunders told media members.
