By Charles Brun: Chris Eubank Jr has his theory for why Billy Joe Saunders backed out of the September 12 fight against Canelo Alvarez. On social media today, Eubank Jr said he thinks that Saunders (29-0, 14 KOs) needs more time for the drugs to clear from his body before facing Canelo. Eubank Jr states that Saunders uses drugs to get in shape.
WBO super middleweight champion Saunders recently pulled his name from consideration by Golden Boy for Canelo’s next fight. Saunders’ reason for pulling out is there wouldn’t be enough time for him to train with the two months that he’d have before September 12.
It would have been ten weeks of training for Saunders had he not pulled out. For many fighters, eight to ten weeks is a typical training camp before a fight. The fans don’t understand why Saunders would need additional time beyond ten weeks, given that he doesn’t look overweight.
Ten weeks not enough time
In ten weeks, Saunders would likely take off all the weight he needed to make the 168-lb limit for the Canelo fight.
Eddie Hearn already told everyone why my fight with GGG didn’t happen. Two months isn’t enough time for the drugs Billy Joe Saunders uses to get in shape, to leave his system, so he pulled out of the Canelo fight. Guess he’s just gota go back to beating up women again.
— Chris Eubank Jr (@ChrisEubankJr) July 4, 2020
Saunders is being criticized massively by fans for using an excuse about there not being enough training time to get ready or Canelo. Fans don’t buy into that excuse, especially given that Billy Joe would have ten weeks to train.
Many of the boxing fans think Saunders has lost his nerve and doesn’t feel confident enough to take the fight with the superstar Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs).
What’s disappointing about Saunders turning down the Canelo fight is the likelihood of him never being given another chance. Oscar De La Hoya said in the past recently that when fighters turn down an offer to fight Canelo, they move on, and they don’t look back.
There should be more than enough time for Saunders to trim down from his current weight to make the 168-pound limit to face Canelo.
It’s got to be hard for Saunders to hear Eubank Jr giving him grief for pulling out of the fight, and it’s possible that he’s already feeling regret for his decision.
Canelo could help Saunders
You’d hate to see Saunders ignored permanently by Canelo after this episode. Hopefully, Billy Joe isn’t bitter about it later, haunted by his decision not to take the fight.
It would have been better for Saunders to have focused on the money not being enough for him to take the Canelo match rather than blaming it on not enough training time.
If Canelo did take some of his $33 million for his next fight and give a portion to Saunders, then perhaps he might be a little more motivated to go through an abbreviated training camp. The money might make a difference.
Canelo may end up needing to find a poor replacement for Saunders if he doesn’t sweeten the deal to lure him back. The main issue with Canelo going the cheap bargain basement route for his next opponent is DAZN might reject the choice.
We’re already hearing that David Lemieux’s promoter is in discussions with Golden Boy as a potential opponent for Canelo’s September 12 fight.
Saunders would like to fight Canelo, but it’s not as motivating as it would have been due to the pay cut that he would need to take for him to get the fight.
Eubank Jr (29-2, 22 KOs) has offered to step in and take the fight with Canelo on September 12