Boxing fans have enjoyed a fabulous start to 2021, with big fights on the horizon and the first few cards delivering plenty of shocks.
Oscar Valdez’s highlight-reel knockout of Miguel Berchelt last month may win an award by the end of the year, while Britain’s Josh Kelly and Josh Warrington are licking their wounds after heavy defeats in February.
The biggest name in the sport, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was also victorious on his return to the ring, and the Mexican has promised to be busy throughout the rest of the year.
After a third-round knockout victory over Avni Yildirim, the fan favourite is now set to fight WBO super-middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders on May 8.
Slick Saunders to Bring the Best out of Canelo
England’s Saunders has been chasing a fight with the P4P superstar for two years, and he now finally has his chance to showcase his skills.
The Londoner is unbeaten in 30 fights, stopping 14 of his opponents inside the distance.
While he has beaten some good fighters over the years, the likes of John Ryder, Chris Eubank Jr, Andy Lee, David Lemieux and Martin Murray are levels below Alvarez.
The Brit is 7/2 to pull off the upset, and he believes he has the style to trouble Canelo, but he is likely to need to win on points, and the fight is 4/7 to go past 10.5 rounds.
In his defence, the blueprint is there with slick boxers and in particular southpaws, giving Alvarez trouble in the past. However, Alvarez has only lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr, and that defeat was eight years ago.
Since that bout, Alvarez has improved in all areas of his game and is arguably the best defensive fighter on the planet, and it is easy to see why punters would back him at 4/23, with so many fighters coming unstuck against him.
What Happens After Saunders?
While Alvarez might be forced to work very hard by Saunders, he should still have too much power and skill for the British star. If the fight is close, there’s the chance of a rematch later down the line, but it looks like Alvarez has other plans on his mind.
Alvarez currently holds the WBC and WBA titles, while he will be expected to add the WBO to his collection.
The IBF strap is currently in American Caleb Plant’s hands, and Alvarez has made it known he wants to become the first undisputed super-middleweight champion in history.
If former rival Callum Smith stays at 168lbs, a rematch could be on the cards, but the Liverpudlian would need a big win beforehand to set that up.
With Alvarez always looking to stay active, it looks like he could fight Plant next before then tackling David Benavidez, who will soon become mandatory to his WBC title.
*All odds correct at time of writing