Pound for pound, no boxer is currently more highly rated in the fight game than Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez. Nevertheless, on Saturday he faces arguably one of the toughest bouts of his illustrious career. Billy Joe Saunders will be a hugely difficult opponent, in a contest that has three of the four major super middleweight belts up for grabs.
For anyone looking to bet on the Saul Alvarez v Billy Joe Saunders fight, the latest 3/25 pre-fight odds are strongly in favor of the Mexican. Meanwhile, the undefeated British boxer is being priced as a 5/1 shot, which points towards a potential upset if he emerges victorious. Whatever the outcome, this certainly promises to be an enthralling contest between two great boxers.
𝑭𝑨𝑪𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑭𝑬𝑨𝑹𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺
May 8th. #CaneloSaunders pic.twitter.com/92yVUb8jEy
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) April 8, 2021
This fight is the latest for Alvarez in his quest to become the undisputed super middleweight champion. He currently holds the WBA, WBC, and Ring Magazine title belts in this division. If he can beat current WBO champion Saunders, the 31-year-old Mexican will then go after the IBF title, held by American boxer Callum Smith.
That said, Alvarez will surely be taking nothing for granted. Hosted at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, he must first beat a rival the boxing betting tips underline as being a fearsome opponent. Saunders has yet to be stopped in any of his professional fights to date, boasting an excellent record of 30 wins and no defeats. The 30-year-old Briton has won 14 of those bouts via knockout and 16 by decision.
Despite the similar ages of both boxers, Alvarez has vastly more experience and has fought in 58 contests to date, along with competing in five different weight divisions. His record stands at 55 wins and two draws, with 37 knockout victories, and 18 by decision. The solitary defeat came at light-middleweight back in 2013, losing a WBA title shot against Floyd Mayweather Jr. by decision.
Alvarez has earned plenty of admirers for his phenomenal boxing ability. He headed into 2021 rated as the best active boxer in the world, regardless of weight division. Earlier this year, the Boxing Writers Association of America highlighted Alvarez as the pound-for-pound king, which is the third time in a row he has earned that distinction from fight journalists.
However, the fact that Saunders has also fought at two different weights, also highlights his ability to adapt well to different challenges. Previously the WBO middleweight champion, Saunders rose another division to claim the WBO super middleweight title in 2019. Since then he has fought in two successful defenses, with a KO victory against Marcelo Esteban Coceres in 2019, then a unanimous decision win against Martin Murray in December 2020.
The only question mark for Saunders has been the quality of his opponents, with some observers believing the Briton has yet to be genuinely tested. That said, challenges don’t come any bigger than taking on Alvarez, who is widely regarded as the best in the business at super middleweight. For both fighters, there is much to prove and plenty to gain, which ultimately makes this a fascinating contest to observe.