‘Canelo’ out to unify titles against Briton Saunders

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is back in the ring for the third time in less than five months for a match-up that was scrubbed amid the pandemic a year ago.

One of boxing’s best said he was making up for lost time as he prepared to face the undefeated British fighter Billy Joe Saunders in a unification bout late this morning (HK time) at the AT&T Stadium in Arllngton, Texas. They were supposed to fight last May in Las Vegas.

“I’m really happy to be bringing it all back, especially in boxing,” said 30-year-old Alvarez, whose only loss was to Floyd Mayweather Jnr by a majority decision in 2013.

“I’m looking forward to a lot of support from those fans at the stadium yelling, ‘Canelo’.

“I feel like I’m in my prime. I am always ready to fight.

With a record of 55-1-2, 37 knockouts, Alvarez returned from the Covid-19 hiatus with a dominating decision over Callum Smith in San Antonio in December for the WBA and WBC supermiddleweight titles.

Alvarez defended the crowns with a third-round knockout of Avni Yildirim at the home of the Miami Dolphins in February.

With the pandemic-related restrictions lifted in Texas, organisers were expecting a crowd of about 70,000. This would break the indoor boxing attendance record of 63,352 set in 1978 at the Superdome in New Orleans when Muhammad Ali beat Leon Spinks.

The fight is in line to be the biggest crowd for a sporting event in the US in the pandemic, although the claim should only last about three weeks.

The Indianapolis 500 motor race on May 30 is expected to draw 135,000, or up to 40 per cent of the track’s capacity.