Canelo Alvarez picked up a stoppage win against Billy Joe Saunders, after an eye injury left Saunders unable to continue.
Canelo Alvarez (56–1–2, 38 KOs) captured the WBO super middleweight title as he defeated Billy Joe Saunders (30-1, 14 KOs) by eighth-round TKO.
Saunders opened up the first round working off of his trademark jab, whilst Canelo was countering with single shots and walking Saunders down against the ropes. Canelo was more active in the second, using more feints to set up his power punches.
The Texas crowd roared in the third and fourth when Canelo landed a hard right hook and counter uppercut. Saunders stepped up in the fifth and sixth doubling up on his jab and landing some good left hands to counter Canelo.
Canelo’s output was slacking in the seventh as Saunders continued his success from the previous two rounds. In the eighth, Canelo started to get his flow back as he landed a right uppercut that instantly bloodied the right eye of Saunders. Canelo was hyping up the Texas crowd as he continued to force Saunders against the ropes and land shots.
The ninth round would never begin, as the swollen right eye of Saunders forced his corner to stop the fight.
Now holding the WBA, WBC, WBO and The Ring super middleweight titles, Canelo is just one belt away from unifying his weight class. The undefeated Caleb Plant currently holds the IBF super middleweight belt, and Canelo called for that fight next in his post-fight interview.
Official result: Canelo Alvarez def. Billy Joe Saunders via corner stoppage, round 8