CANELO ALVAREZ is taking on Billy Joe Saunders in a HUGE super-middleweight title clash in Texas.
Mexican superstar Canelo is putting his WBA and WBC titles against Britain’s WBO champ Saunders in a long, long awaited fight.
The bout is taking place over at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas with 70,000 fans in attendance.
Can Saunders shock the boxing world? Keep up to date with ALL of the latest developments right here.
Follow ALL of the latest updates below…
MARIACHI KING
Tyson Fury has made his prediction in Texas.
The Gypsy King said: βBilly Joe is in form and looking in great shape, I cannot wait.
βYou will see a boxing masterclass from Billy Joe and he will win a unanimous decision.”
He then joined in with the Mariachi band in his finest Versace shirt..
WBA AND WBC CHAMP
While Canelo weighed in at 167.4lbs.
The fight is ON!
THE WBO CHAMP
Taller man Billy Joe Saunders weighed in slightly the heavier of the pair on 167.8lbs (168lbs limit).
FINAL STAREDOWN
A tense final staredown for the pair sets us up for what should be an absolute cracker of a fight.
Look at those eyes from Canelo…
GYPSY KING
Fury roars: These Mexican fans are all my people!
“Billy Joe is in form and looking in great shape, I cannot wait.
“You will see a boxing masterclass from Billy Joe and he will win a unanimous decision.
When asked if Canelo or Fury is the pound-for-pund king, Fury said: “I don’t know about pound-for-pound but I am the best fighter that ever lived. “
FRIENDS OR FOES?
Billy has teased and taunted Canelo as much as possible.
But the face-off was a smooth event.
Will the Mexican get the chance to punish his British nemesis…
BJS
Saunders says: “I have the belief and spirit and winning mentality to beat Alvarez.
“I don’t think Alvarez has faced anyome with the same heart as me. I have come here to take all of these titles.
“I have to be at my best and on my A-game.
“These fans will push me on to win, they are all for Canelo but on the way out there will be cheering for me.”
NO MORE TALK
Canelo says: “I am very happy everyone is here and hopefully tomorrow we will give you a good fight.
“He has not got under my skin, I have been in big fights before and I know how to handle it.
“I am expecting a hard fight in the early rounds.”
FACE OFF
Both heroes get dressed and meet in the middle of the stage.
No aggro.
Saunders clearly a couple of inches taller.
Saunders starts trash talking at the end but Canelo shakes his head and walks away.
CANEL-GO
Canelo arrives in baby blue pyjamas to a massive roar.
Saunders weighs in at 167lbs for the 168lbs (12st) contest.
The Mexican four-weight king strips off and weighs 167lbs as well.
CANELO vs BILLY JOE SAUNDERS
England’s 30-0 Saunders wears a t-shirt saying ‘No God, No Life’.
Canelo’s mantra is ‘No Boxing, No Life’
Saunders is all in red, waving at the partisan crowd.
ELWIN SOTO vs KATSUNARI TAKAYAMA
Light-fly action as the chief support, these guys have to be below 7st 10lbs.
Japan’s Takayama weighs 107lbs and Soto matches him on the scales.
Takayama has a great mascot with him…
KIERON CONWAY vs SOULEYMANE CISSOKHO
Northampton lad Conway has taken on a massive super-welterweight challenge here fighting the Frenchman managed by Anthony Joshua.
Cissokho weighs 153lbs and the Brit a perfect 154lbs.
Conway has drawn with Ted Cheeseman and lost to Derrick Osaze – at middleweight – but he could leap up the rankings with a shock win in Dallas.
Conway says: “I am here to win. I don’t want easy fights or to pick and choose, I want to show what I am about.”
BIG FRANK SPEAKS
Cuban giant Sanchez says: “I have learned a lot from working with Team Canelo and trainer Eddy Reynoso.
“I thank the Mexican public for opening their arms to me and I hope to represent Cuba and Mexico together.
“I am here to show the world that I am one of the best and I am here to fight against anyone.”
NAGY AGUILERA vs FRANK SANCHEZ
Cuban Flash Sanchez is a training mate of Canelo is being fast tracked to a world title.
Sanchez is 17-0 and has looked a right handful so far.
But that has not stopped Canelo regularly sparring with the 16st powerhouse.
FANFARE BABY!
Canelo has whipped this crowd into a frenzy without even appearing yet.
Six more fighters to weight before the mainevent.
IRVING CASTILLO vs MARC CASTRO
Feather-fisted these featherweights are not.
Castro, 2-0, is an amateur stand-out tipped for pro greatness and Castillo is a Mexcian ready to give him a horrible welcome to the pro ranks.
Casto weights 132lbs with Castillo lighter at 127lbs.
DAVIS BOYS
Kelvin says: “It’s a dream come true, we have been doing this for over a decade. We are coming to take over.
“We have been preparing for times like this forever, we are ready. We are both confident.
Keyshawn adds: “Kelvin is going to stop this guy.
“I am fighting a Mexican in front of a Mexican crowd but it does not bother me.”
JOSE MEZA vs KEYSHAWN DAVIS
Both men make 138lbs for the lightweight clash.
Davis has turned pro early after being tipped for gold with Team USA at the 2020 Olympics that have been delayed.
Meza is 6-4 so he might offer some resilience to the wonderkid.
BIG FIGHT ALERT!
Heavyweight action here as Filip Hrgovic and Michael Hunter go toe-to-toe for a IBF mandatory shot at the belt currently around Anthony Joshua’s waist.
Hunter was a brillian cruiserweight who only lost to Oleksandr Usyk.
But Hrgovic is being billed as the new Wladimir Klitschko…
XAVIER WILSON vs CHRISTIAN DURAN
Welterweight clash now as Wilson hits 147lbs and Texas local Duran makes 146lbs.
Wilson is 11-2-1 and Duran is 19-2-1 so both men still have everything to fight for.
JAN MARSALEK vs KELVIN DAVIS
Marsalek makes 140lbs for the super-light clash.
Davis, little brother of red-hot prospect Keyshawn, makes the mark too as he looks to go 2-0.
Marsalek is 8-2 so is not a journeymen yet and will ask the kid questions.
BOO BOYS
The hosts ask if there are any English fans outside the AT&T stadium and get a loud ‘boo’.
Huge cheer when he asks if there are any Canelo fans in the house.
TOOLS FOR THE TRADE
Canelo and Billy Joe Saunders had their Friday morning medicals and rules meetings this morning.
The super-middleweight champions also picked their big-fight gloves.
Who will land them first?
CROWD NOISE
Canelo is going to have some huge support at the weigh-in shortly.
Tyson Fury will have a tough job drowing out all the Mexican-Americans who have flooded out to support their man…
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
