Billy Joe Saunders gives Canelo Alvarez a boxing lesson, says Tyson Fury

By Boxing News - 04/12/2021 - Comments

By Dan Ambrose: Tyson Fury is predicting that huge underdog Billy Joe Saunders will be giving Canelo Alvarez a boxing lesson on May 8th in their unification fight at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Saunders will be entering the lion’s den when he battles the highly popular Canelo in the main event on DAZN in Arlington. The crowd will be predominantly rooting for Canelo. It could not be good for Saunders if it goes to the scorecards.

Fury says WBO super middleweight champion Saunders (30-0, 14 KOs) is a “master boxer” who hasn’t been beaten since he was 17-years-old. With that in mind, ‘The Gypsy King’ figures that Billy Joe will find a way to defeat WBA/WBC champion Canelo.

It’s going to be a tall order for the weaker, slower Saunders to try and overcome the massive advantage that Canelo (55-1-2, 37 KOs) will have in this fight.

Saunders looked poor in getting worked over by little-known Marcelo Esteban Coceres just two fights ago in November 2019, and he had to pull out the victory with a come from behind 11th round knockout.

Canelo is faster and more powerful than Coceres. So if a guy like Coceres was superior to Billy Joe, it doesn’t bode well for the British fighter when he shares the ring with Canelo on May 8th.

Saunders will give Canelo a boxing lesson

“Whatever pound-for-pound means, I have no idea what it means,” said Fury to Behind The Gloves, when asked how Saunders will do against pound-for-pound fighter Canelo on May 8th. “It’s like an ‘If,’ it’s someone’s opinion, isn’t it?

Image: Billy Joe Saunders gives Canelo Alvarez a boxing lesson, says Tyson Fury

“Pound-for-pound means if everyone was the same weight, the same height, or the same size, and we know that doesn’t exist. So pound-for-pound, if I jumped out of that hotel window, could I fly like a f*** eagle if I had wings. That’s what it’s like saying.

“Bull s***. I don’t agree with anything like that because they have weight categories for a reason. Unless he’s going to come up to my weight category and give me a fight, which is not going to happen,” said Fury about Canelo.

“Anyway, it’s [Canelo vs. Saunders] is a top fight at middleweight or super middleweight. I think Billy Joe gives him a boxing lesson. That’s what I’m here to see. That’s what I think will happen,” said Fury.

Saunders has fought only once since his fight with Coceres, which was against 38-year-old past his prime Martin Murray last December.

Although Billy Joe looked great in giving Murray a boxing lesson, he was facing a totally shot fighter.

Murray didn’t deserve the title shot. Saunders is still the same fighter that had problems with Coceres and Artur Akavov, both of which are easily the best guys he’s faced since 2014.

Billy Joe delivers every time

“I think everyone raves on about Canelo about how good he is and how he’s such a great guy and whatever, but I just think every time Billy Joe steps into the pressure cooker, he delivers much like myself,” said Tyson.

Image: Billy Joe Saunders gives Canelo Alvarez a boxing lesson, says Tyson Fury

“When you fight people who aren’t supposed to give you a tough fight, then you end up having a tough fight,” said Fury. “But then when you fight people who are supposed to give you a good hiding, then you win.

“That’s what we’re [Saunders] up against here. We’re up against a good fighter in Canelo, who is physically strong and mature, big for the weight, and who likes to hold his feet and fire good, hard punches and has good head movement.

“But Billy Joe is a master boxer, slick, a southpaw with good footwork and good ring IQ, and unbeaten since he was 11-years-old. He’s now however old he is; he’s 31.

“There’s a reason why he hasn’t been beaten since he was 11 or however old he was. He got beat in the Olympics, sorry. He was 17. Canelo has tasted defeat, and we know he can be out-boxed because we saw it,” Fury said of Billy Joe.

Saunders has been delivering, but his opposition has been largely middle-of-the-road fighters with limited ability.

Billy Joe’s last eight opponents:

  • Martin Murray
  • Marcelo Esteban Cocernes
  • Shefat Isufi
  • Charles Adamu
  • David Lemieux
  • Willie Monroe Jr
  • Artur Akavov
  • Andy Lee

Fury wants to gloat after Saunders wins

“Mayweather out-boxed him convincingly,” Fury said of Canelo. “He’s had a couple of sticky fights and struggled in a couple of southpaw fights.

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“I saw he struggled with [Erislandy] Lara, and that was a close fight. He could have lost that one. If Lara was a name and a bit more of a draw, he probably would have got the decision.

“So, Billy Joe is a very good boxer and a very slick southpaw,” said Fury. “I know he’ll fancy this one; there’s a lot on the line.

“What’s one the line here is him being a world champion twice or going down as a great in the sport. This is what’s on the line here,” said Fury about the Canelo vs. Saunders fight.

“I definitely think he [Saunders] is going to shock a lot of people, and it’s going to be an easier fight than people think is,” said Fury. “I want to see all these people’s faces after he beats Canelo.”

Hopefully, Fury isn’t too upset if Saunders fails to do the job against Canelo because he’s really up against it in this fight. This is arguably a step down for Canelo from his fight with Callum Smith last year, and he was inferior.