Canelo curbs Saunders- cheek

WBC Press

In top level boxing, when the glittering prize is there almost within grasp, just one strategic tactical error is sufficient to slip up and for the prize to remain forever out of reach, which is what befell Billy Joe Saunders, who dipped down and walked straight into a pinpoint right uppercut which fracted his right eye socket.

This was the way in which Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez (56-1-2, 38 KO’s) knocked the fight out Billy Joe Saunders (30-1, 14 KO’s) after eight bruising rounds, handing him his first professional loss, in successfully and ruthlessly defending his cherished WBC belt, as well as the WBA super-middleweight titles, taking away Saunders` WBO strap, after administering a comprehensive beating at the Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas.

After Billy Joe had audaciously jived his way to the ring, and later, God Save the Queen was sung by an American lady. In breezed jaunty Canelo backed by the towering Pepe Aguilar, and a mariachi band in fine voice and full flow. It got the blood and the adrenalin boiling and the 73,000 crowd roaring. A magnificent Cinco de Mayo Fiesta which eclipsed everything else. Marvellously magnificent. To his credit, Saunders was neither overawed or fazed. He was soaking up the atmosphere and remembering every glorious moment, to tell the tale to his grandchildren.

The fight began with Canelo moving in to cut the distance to Saunders. As expected and foretold, Canelo landed a crunching left to the body, then another, a big right to the head of the Brit who was vainly searching for angles to land his fast right jab. Seeing is believing, but feeling the weight of Canelo`s punches, the power of which Saunders had never experienced in thirty previous fights, was quite another thing.

In the second, Canelo landed a heavy right to Saunders`s suntanned torso and more to Saunders’s face, driving him back. Saunders flicked out his right jab, but was backing away, as a solid left slammed into his chest.

In the third, Saunders was pawing with his right jab, trying to measure the distance to the shorter man, and dangerously lowering his hands, trying to temper speed against power, and then a big right to his head, visibly shook him. Saunders started milling on the retreat.

A smart three punch combination in the fourth from Saunders, momentarily checked the onslaught of Canelo, who then retaliated with a left to the body. Canelo then swing and missed
and Saunders briefly moved into attack mode, but then moved back, again with hands almost at hip level.

In the fifth Saunders was again pawing with jabs, until two rights and a right uppercut to the body jolted him. Saunders kept his cool, jabbing well and catching Canelo with a neat left hook. His confidence was growing, and then he was backed into the ropes and hurt with a right to the body.

In the sixth Saunders looked good boxing, landing punches and dodging Canelo’s attacks, but was absorbing punches and foolishly stuck out his tongue, being driven back with a hard right to the head. Although Saunders seemed to be keeping up with his rhythm and motivation in the seventh, Canelo regained control, cutting the ring and landing powerful punches. In that seventh, Saunders was moving around a lot, using his jab, but was getting punished to the body by Canelo, who was landing cleaner punches, especially a big right to the head.

Canelo upped the pace at the beginning of the eight. Saunders landed a sharp right to the head, but a simultaneous left from Canelo wobbled him. Saunders came in bending low and walked straight into the perfectly timed right uppercut which fractured his right eye socket. His eye immediately started to close with a greyish hue to it.

Sensing the severe damage he`d inflicted and knowing the end was nigh, Canelo raised his right arm aloft and then both arms in a victory salute, even though the fight was still ongoing.
A dejected Saunders walked back to his corner at the end of the round, sat down on the stool and shook his head dejectedly. And his coach Jimmy Tibbs indicated that his man couldn`t see from the impressed indentation and for safety`s sake it was all over.

Canelo came over briefly to sporting check on Saunders but then moved away. Still, not much love lost between the two. Saunders` pre-fight hype and the needle had stung appreciably more than Saunders` punches. Before the eye-watering peach of a punch, which sent Saunders to hospital, Canelo was winning on the three judges’ scorecard, with points of 78-74 (Feldman), 77-75 (Cheatham), and 78-74 (DeLuca).

The World Boxing Council presented Canelo with the Mestizo belt as a trophy, to commemorate May 5, after he pulled on a WBC black t-shirt handed to him by President Mauricio Sulaiman.