WBO middleweight ruler Billy Joe Saunders has launched a scathing attack on Mexican star Saul Canelo Alvarez. As fans know, Alvarez recently vacated his WBC middleweight title rather than agree to fight Gennady Golovkin (at least he hasn’t agreed to face GGG yet). This has angered many fight fans, Mexican fight fans in particular of course, and Saunders, in speaking with boxingnews24, said Canelo should be ashamed of himself.
“He should be ashamed to go out in public. I couldn’t show my face in public,” the southpaw said. “Never in my life would I vacate a title. To vacate and show another [fighter] you ain’t got no heart to face him, I couldn’t sleep at night. Never would I run from someone, even if it was business. I’d school him [Alvarez]. I know I would. Slow feet coming, I love that. I love that style. I’d love to give him a shot at my title. He’s a coward. It only shows what kind of heart he’s got.”
Ouch! Saunders will possibly have some people agreeing with him, but is perhaps he being a little too harsh? Canelo, who we must still give the benefit of the doubt, says he WILL fight GGG, but that he will not be dictated to by deadlines and such like. If Alvarez does not give boxing the fight it needs, then we can call him a ducker (no fighter brave enough to enter the ring should ever be called a coward). September is still quite a way away, so let’s wait and see. But as to whether or not Saunders, unbeaten at 23-0(12) would be able to “school” Canelo, that too is open to debate. It would certainly be an interesting fight (one Canelo might call for if he does let us down and fails to sign up for the mega-fight with GGG; especially if he hears about what the Brit has said about him).
Saunders is slick, he throws a lot of punches and he has decent power. Alvarez would possibly have a tough, and potentially frustrating night’s work on his hands of he took this fight. Alvarez would be a pretty big favourite to win in the opinion of the fans he would still have left if he ducked GGG and fought Saunders, but it would certainly be no mismatch. As for Saunders and his next fight, he has – according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com – been offered a date with GGG in the past (holding the only belt Golovkin doesn’t hold at middleweight, Saunders is an attractive opponent for the unbeaten pound-for-pound star), but does Saunders want it?
Saunders of course, doesn’t have to give up his belt to avoid taking a fight with Golovkin.