Boxing

BILLY JOE SAUNDERS believes he has ‘every tool in the box’ to cause a sensational boxing shock and BEAT Canelo Alvarez.
The Brit boxer is desperate for a super-middleweight unification fight against the Mexican in 2021.

Billy Joe Saunders has called on his promoter Eddie Hearn to get him the Canelo fightCredit: ©Dave Thompson/Route One Ltd

Just hours after Canelo had systematically battered Callum Smith to win the WBA and WBC belts, Saunders posted on Twitter calling out the 30-year-old.
Speaking to iFL TV, Saunders, who holds the WBO strap, is ready to take his chance of a lifetime and has called on his promoter Eddie Hearn to sort the fight.
The 31-year-old said: “I’m missing that big, big defining fight now. I think that you’ll see the best of me.
“A lot of people can talk a good game, but when it comes to it, can’t find a way.

“I believe on my night I’ve got every tool in the box to beat Canelo Alvarez.
“If i wanted to get my money I could have got my money a couple of times and f****d off.
“It’s not that, it’s not just about the money, the money comes with that.”
Canelo cemented himself as a fully-fledged four-division champion after dominating Britain’s brave and resilient Smith at the weekend.

Canelo is a four-weight world champion – and is being targeted by Billy Joe SaundersCredit: USA TODAY Sports

Canelo easily outpointed Smith to suffer his first ever lossCredit: Handout – Getty

Canelo had too much power and precision for Smith and stormed to victory after 12 one-sided and almost identical rounds in Texas.
After the win, he said: “I did a great job after 13 months out.
“Smith is a great fighter but I did a great job. I am so happy.
“I am the best in the world and from the first round I wanted to see what he brings but I showed what I am.”
Saunders is undefeated in 30 fights, and is a two-weight world champ.
But he has missed out on big-money scraps against the likes of Gennadiy Golovkin and Canelo – until now he hopes.

Canelo Alvarez vs Callum Smith – Round by Round for massive world title fight More

FLOYD MAYWEATHER is taking his exhibition with Logan Paul ‘very seriously’ – as the promoter insisted ‘this is a real fight’.
The all-time great faces YouTubing boxing novice Paul in February 2021, ahead of his latest money-making scheme.

Floyd Mayweather is taking his fight with Logan Paul ‘very seriously’Credit: AP:Associated Press

YouTuber Paul faces Mayweather in February 2021 Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Despite the farcical experience disparity, Mayweather is outweighed by FOUR STONE and gives away six inches in height.
As a result, he will leave no stone unturned to avoid what would be an unthinkable and disastrous defeat.
Solomon Engel, Founder and CEO of Fanmio, who are putting on the pay-per-view spectacle, told SunSport: “I think Floyd is going to have fun with it but he’s taking it very seriously. 
“Floyd trains extensively and I don’t think he’s going to go into this fight and not be prepared. He’s very excited for the fight.

“He sees some big opportunities here, and I don’t want to speak for him but I think we all feel this could be a very historical fight and a number of different levels.”
Organisers are yet to announce the rules of the fight, but Paul is expected to maintain his size advantage.
Traditional boxing standards are set to be put in place but it will not be a sanctioned contest.
Mass confusion followed Mike Tyson’s comeback against Roy Jones Jr in November, after the California State Athletic argued with promoters over safety concerns.

NSAC demanded no knockouts could be scored as both ageing legends were instead asked to treat the fight as a glorified sparring session.
But Engel has reiterated neither Mayweather, 43, or Paul, 25, will be asked to pull their punches – with either capable of a knockout.
He said: “This is a real fight. And whoever wins, wins. Certainly there could be a knockout, yes.  
“I think it will be a very competitive fight. And to be clear, we have Floyd who is the best fighter, and Logan who is a new fighter.
“But, Logan does have some size difference, he’s many inches taller, many pounds heavier and when you look at size and how that could affect the match, there’s really no telling what the outcome could be.
“I do think that it will be competitive because Floyd has an incredible amount of skill and he’s going to bring that to the table and Logan has size.
“It’s like the David vs Goliath story – and we all know the outcome of that. But we don’t know what the outcome will be here.”

Mayweather training amid his comebackCredit: @100kthedon

Internet star Paul comes into the fight as a massive underdog
Mayweather comes into the fight having retired as a pro in 2017 after beating UFC star Conor McGregor in ten rounds.
But he did return a year later, wiping out featherweight kickboxer Tenshin Naukawa in a Tokyo exhibition.
Paul on the other hand, lost his debut last year against internet rival KSI, 27, with a two point deduction costing him the result by split-decision.
The fight proved a success Stateside on DAZN as the sports streaming service capitalised on their loyal following.
And Mayweather was boxing’s undisputed box office attraction during his 50-0 career, selling NINE MILLION PPVs alongside McGregor and Manny Pacquiao respectively.
It leaves Engel predicting unprecedented success when The Best Ever faces his most unqualified challenger of all time.

KSI beat Paul on their boxing debut Credit: Getty Images – Getty

Mayweather retired as a pro after beating Conor McGregor Credit: AFP or licensors
But with several eyeballs from all different areas due to tune in, the promoter is adamant it can only benefit the boxing business.
He explained: “It brings two audiences together, possibly on the biggest scale that has ever been done before.
“We have Floyd’s very large audience, where he has proven to be succesful breaking pay-per-view records among others.
“Then we have Logan’s audience which has proven to be very successful to him and his own business endeavors.
“It bring more fans to the sport of boxing and opens up more opportunties for everyone going forward.
“Anyone hating on this event it not looking at the big picture going forward for the industry.”

Logan Paul reveals Facetime with Floyd Mayweather that annoyed boxing great enough to land contract More

ANTHONY JOSHUA has moved up to No2 in Ring Magazine’s heavyweight rankings – just underneath champion Tyson Fury.
AJ has leapfrogged Deontay Wilder after emphatically knocking out Kubrat Pulev, 39, to close out a frustrating 2020.

Ring Magazine’s heavyweight rankings

The win sets the WBA, IBF and WBO champion up for a mammoth undisputed decider against long-time rival Fury next year.
The Gypsy King, 32, won his WBC title from American Wilder, 35, with a brutal display in February.
And, as the pair were then ranked No1 and No2 with the Ring Magazine, the vacant belt was also put on the line.
It meant Fury became the first heavyweight to win the title since he vacated it following his upset over Wladimir Klitschko in 2015.

The seventh-round KO was Wilder’s first career defeat, and it has seen him fall behind Joshua as the second-ranked contender, and No3 overall.
Alexander Povetkin, 41, slots in at No4 following his stunning knockout of Dillian Whyte, who is one spot lower, in the summer.
The pair were due to rematch in November but Povetkin’s battle against coronavirus has pushed the fight back.

Luis Ortiz is the fifth-ranked contender, with Andy Ruiz Jr – who has not fought since defeat to AJ last year – just behind the Cuban.

Former WBO champion Joseph Parker is No7 with Michael Hunter at eight.
Oscar Rivas is just in front of No10 Oleksandr Usyk, who is Joshua’s current mandatory challenger.

Tyson Fury spars with boxer with prosthetic leg More

CALLUM SMITH has accused Canelo Alvarez of deliberately injuring his left arm in their super-middleweight fight.
Smith’s reign as WBA (Super) and Ring Magazine 168lb champion came to an end at the hands of the Mexican early on Sunday morning.

Callum Smith injured his left arm in his defeat to Canelo AlvarezCredit: DAZN

Canelo Alvarez was in fine form against the former WBA super-middleweight championCredit: Handout – Getty

The slick slugger suffered a unanimous decision defeat to the four-weight world champion, who turned in an imperious performance at Texas’ Aladome Stadium.
After the fight, eagle-eyed boxing fans noticed Smith had a massive swelling high-up on his left arm.
The injury appeared to be the result of the 30-year-old absorbing several punishing right hooks.
Mundo reckons Canelo’s game plan was to target his left arm, telling Boxing Social: “It was intentional. I knew from the first round that.

“I said to Joe in round one, ‘He’s aiming for my arm.’ Every right hook he was throwing, he was going for my arm.
“And then I think I said to Joe in round four or something, ‘My arm is f***ed.””

The latest Ring Magazine P4P rankings
The previously-undefeated Smith believes the injury prevented him from utilising the deadliest weapon in his arsenal.
He added: “It kind of took away my catch left hook, which is my best shot. And whether that was a plan on their behalf, it worked a treat.

“Because when he was throwing – I remember Grovesy [George Groves] threw a couple of hooks against me and I thought, ‘Well, you’re throwing the right hook. The next one you’re getting it.’
“And the next one, I countered. If you had told me that Canelo was going to throw that many right hooks at me, I probably would’ve thought that I would’ve been able to get my catch-hook counter off.
“Some people asked afterwards because they thought my hand was hurt because of someone throwing so many right hooks and for me not to return it.
“But when it was hitting me in the arm, it was kind of making my arm drop rather than being able to return with it.
“But I still jabbed with it, do you know what I mean? It didn’t completely take away the game. But it just took that one shot away from me. And I’d say credit to him, I think he knew what he was doing.
“In the 12th round, he looked at the swelling and laughed and asked, ‘Is it sore?’ It’s experience on his behalf. It completely tools away probably my best shot.”

Although Smith was frustrated by his inability to utilise his trademark shot, he insists the fight wouldn’t have gone his way had he not been injured.
“He said: “It’s not an excuse. If I would’ve had two hands the whole fight, would I have won the fight? Probably not. He was just a little bit too good for me on the night.”
According to The Athletic, the lump on Smith’s left arm was the result of an injured tricep – which he’s set to have surgery on.

Callum Smith left with gruesome bulging arm after suspected detached BICEP following Canelo Alvarez loss More

CALLUM SMITH has accused Canelo Alvarez of deliberately injuring his left arm in their super-middleweight fight.
Smith’s reign as WBA (Super) and Ring Magazine 168lb champion came to an end at the hands of the Mexican early on Sunday morning.

Callum Smith injured his left arm in his defeat to Canelo AlvarezCredit: DAZN

Canelo Alvarez was in fine form against the former WBA super-middleweight championCredit: Handout – Getty

The slick slugger suffered a unanimous decision defeat to the four-weight world champion, who turned in an imperious performance at Texas’ Aladome Stadium.
After the fight, eagle-eyed boxing fans noticed Smith had a massive swelling high-up on his left arm.
The injury appeared to be the result of the 30-year-old absorbing several punishing right hooks.
Mundo reckons Canelo’s game plan was to target his left arm, telling Boxing Social: “It was intentional. I knew from the first round that.

“I said to Joe in round one, ‘He’s aiming for my arm.’ Every right hook he was throwing, he was going for my arm.
“And then I think I said to Joe in round four or something, ‘My arm is f***ed.””

The latest Ring Magazine P4P rankings
The previously-undefeated Smith believes the injury prevented him from utilising the deadliest weapon in his arsenal.
He added: “It kind of took away my catch left hook, which is my best shot. And whether that was a plan on their behalf, it worked a treat.

“Because when he was throwing – I remember Grovesy [George Groves] threw a couple of hooks against me and I thought, ‘Well, you’re throwing the right hook. The next one you’re getting it.’
“And the next one, I countered. If you had told me that Canelo was going to throw that many right hooks at me, I probably would’ve thought that I would’ve been able to get my catch-hook counter off.
“Some people asked afterwards because they thought my hand was hurt because of someone throwing so many right hooks and for me not to return it.
“But when it was hitting me in the arm, it was kind of making my arm drop rather than being able to return with it.
“But I still jabbed with it, do you know what I mean? It didn’t completely take away the game. But it just took that one shot away from me. And I’d say credit to him, I think he knew what he was doing.
“In the 12th round, he looked at the swelling and laughed and asked, ‘Is it sore?’ It’s experience on his behalf. It completely tools away probably my best shot.”

Although Smith was frustrated by his inability to utilise his trademark shot, he insists the fight wouldn’t have gone his way had he not been injured.
“He said: “It’s not an excuse. If I would’ve had two hands the whole fight, would I have won the fight? Probably not. He was just a little bit too good for me on the night.”
According to The Athletic, the lump on Smith’s left arm was the result of an injured tricep – which he’s set to have surgery on.

Callum Smith left with gruesome bulging arm after suspected detached BICEP following Canelo Alvarez loss More