Billy Joe Saunders was unable to answer the bell for the 9th round in his title fight against Canelo Alvarez. However the champ knew that was going to be the case, as he was aware that his massive uppercut managed to break BJS’s face.
Heading into the big boxing match over the weekend, it was expected that Alvarez was going to get the upper hand over Saunders. The odds reflected as much, as the reigning champ was a massive betting favorite leading into the bout.
That said it wasn’t completely smooth sailing for the champ, as Billy Joe was able to put together a tricky game plan that left Canelo needing a few rounds to adjust. Yet in the end, Canelo was able to land a massive uppercut to Saunders’s face, which eventually led to him being unable to answer the bell for the ninth round, ending the contest.
Billy Joe Saunders Had His Face Broken
A lot of people are downplaying the significance of Billy Joe Saunders’s injury, and his inability to continue the fight with Canelo Alvarez, questioning his fortitude and saying that he took the easy way out. However as it turns out, things are pretty serious with the injuries he sustained in this fight.
According to a Twitter post from promoter Eddie Hearn, Billy Joe was sent to the hospital where he stayed overnight. On top of that, he is in need of surgery to repair the fractures to his face that are a result of his orbital being broken.
“Just at hospital in Dallas, @bjsaunders_ stayed in overnight. Suffered multiple fractures to orbital area and will undergo surgery this afternoon.”
Just at hospital in Dallas, @bjsaunders_ stayed in overnight. Suffered multiple fractures to orbital area and will undergo surgery this afternoon.
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) May 9, 2021
Canelo Alvarez Knew Billy Joe Saunders Was Going To Quit
As much as some of us were shocked to see Billy Joe Saunders unable to continue the fight, Canelo Alvarez was not surprised. In fact, he apparently told his corner that this would be the case in between rounds, before the fight ended.
Speaking to media after the fight, the champ said that he was aware of how much damage that upper cut had done. In fact, he actually thought that he broke Billy Joe’s cheekbone, which was not far off from what actually happened.
“I saw when he broke his cheekbone, and I went back to the corner and told my trainer Eddie, ‘I don’t think he could continue,’ because when you break a cheekbone, you risk your life and you can’t continue that way.”
This was a massive win for Canelo Alvarez, and now he continues his quest to capture every single super middleweight title. Time will tell if he will be successful, but if this belt was any indication, nobody is close to beating the champ.