Billy Joe Saunders says he has the boxing brain to dethrone pound-for-pound king Canelo Alvarez. The pair meets in the super middleweight unification bout live stream on DAZN from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on Saturday, May 8, which makes it Sunday, May 9 in the UK and Australia (start time here).
Unbeaten Briton Saunders (30-0 18 KOs) puts his WBO strap on the line for the third time against Canelo. He is aiming to add the WBC and WBA Super belts held by the Mexican sensation.
Saunders has been widely regarded as having the ring smarts to be the man to hand Canelo a first defeat in eight years and be the man to take the next step to being undisputed at 168lbs. The 31 year old says fighting Canelo on Cinco de Mayo weekend holds no fear.
‘I’m just in with a better opponent this time’
“This fight is all about the brain,” said Saunders. “Not about power, muscle or skill, it’s the brain and the game plan, and being able to execute that game plan.
“I brush opinions off because I know what goes through my head and my mind, and what I have done in my career is through the will and want to win, and the day I lose that, I won’t put a pair of gloves on again.
“I can only control what I am in control of and that myself, not what is outside the ring. It’s going to be a great fight it’s one I’ve wanted for years and it’s finally landed. There’s a lot at stake for both of us. Would I like my fans there? Yes. Would I like UK media there? Yes. If the fight was moved to the Mexican border I wouldn’t care.”
Canelo vs Saunders Australia time, date and how to watch – all states and territories
“I have my own way of approaching the fight and Canelo will have too, he’s done this nearly 60 times. I’ll get in there as the best that I can be and that’s all I can control.
“I’ve been the underdog before, I’ve been the away fighter before, it’s not a new position, but I’m just in with a better opponent this time.
“If I go in there and I win, I’m not going to run and say never again, I’ll fight him again, I’ll fight anyone, anywhere, it doesn’t bother me. It’s good for boxing sometimes when the underdogs come through, and I don’t just mean me here, because it puts the sport on a higher platform to be watched.
“I’m at the top of the tree where I’ve done it all as an amateur, I’ve had 30 fights, I’m unbeaten, won every title coming through, two-weight World champion – I can sit back at night and say I’m top of the pile fighting the pound-for-pound king.”
In the co-feature of the evening Elwin Soto defends his WBO light flyweight title in a 12-rounder against Katsunari Takayama. The full Canelo vs Saunders undercard can be found here.
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