Canelo Alvarez Stops Billy Joe Saunders To Become Unified World Super-Middleweight Champion

Canelo Alvarez bested Billy Joe Saunders to become unified world super-middleweight champion in Dallas, Texas.

73,000 fans were present at the AT&T Stadium for the largest attended sporting event in the United States for over a year following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The eagerly-anticipated fight was announced in swift fashion after Canelo retained his WBA (Super), WBC, and The Ring super-middleweight titles in February by beating Avni Yildirim in the third round in Miami.

Image: PA

And the Mexican, widely seen as the No.1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, added the WBO title to his ever-growing collection when the fight was stopped at the end of the eighth round.

Saunders gave a good account of himself and had absorbed plenty of punishment but with his eye badly damaged and completely closed, 'Superb' was unable to get up and out of his stool to continue ahead of the ninth round.

His corner threw in the towel, giving Canelo the TKO victory.

For the seventh time, Canelo beat a Brit who travelled to the United States and moved to 56-1 in his incredible career.

Speaking after the fight, he sets his sights on IBF title holder Caleb Plant as the four-weight world champion bids to make it a clean sweep in the super-middleweight division.

As for Saunders, this was the first defeat of his professional career following an impressive 30-0 streak inside the squared circle.

Topics: Boxing, Eddie Hearn, Canelo Alvarez

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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