07 May 2021

Billy Joe Saunders eyes ‘greatest win by a Brit abroad’ ahead of Canelo clash

07 May 2021

Billy Joe Saunders insists he is ready to pull off one of the biggest wins in British boxing history when he faces Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in Arlington, Texas on Saturday night.

Saunders is a huge underdog going into his super-middleweight clash with the WBC and WBA champion, who has already won high-profile world titles in four different weight classes.

But the brash, unbeaten Saunders believes he is capable of a victory which would rank above the likes of Tyson Fury’s win over Wladimir Klitschko in Dusseldorf in 2015.

Copper Box Arena Boxing (PA Archive)

Saunders said: “This will be the greatest win by a Brit abroad. ‘Canelo’ has defeated six Brits, I’m the last body they’ve got to chuck out because there is no-one else coming through in the super-middleweight division who has a better chance than myself.

“People may have different views, but I have my own views and my own vision. I’m the seventh Brit and if I don’t do it, then I don’t think anyone can do it.

“So hopefully everything goes well and the main thing is that it’s a fair shake of the dice because I’m up against it with the opponent. I don’t want to be up against everything else as well.”

Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez is one of the world's best pound-for-pound fighters (AP)

Alvarez has made a habit of vanquishing British fighters during his various reigns as champion, including a unanimous decision win over Callum Smith, also in Texas, in December last year.

Saunders is convinced his slick, counter-punching style will give him the edge against the Mexican and is clearly unfazed by the prospect of battling it out in front of an estimated 70,000 crowd.

“‘Canelo’ has been doing it for many, many years now, destroying everyone. Six of those were Brits,” added Saunders.

“I don’t really take anything from any of them because I do my own thing. That’s what’s going to win this fight, something I bring to the table that none of them had.”

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