Canelo Alvarez is on a mission to add another belt to his collection, and he could do that if he can take care of business on May 8 in his fight against British champion Billy Joe Saunders. Alvarez is a huge favorite to win this fight, but we have seen crazier things happen in boxing before. Will Alvarez snatch Saunders WBO super middleweight belt away? Or will Saunders pull off a shocking victory?
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Betting Preview for the Canelo Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders WBA/WBC/WBO Super Middleweight Title Bout May 8 2021
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
When: Saturday, May 8, 2021, 11:00 PM ET
Broadcast: DAZN
Line: Canelo Alvarez (-800) vs. Billy Joe Saunders (+500) – view all Boxing lines
Betting on Canelo Alvarez (-800)
Total fights: 58
Wins: 55
Wins by KO: 37
Losses: 1
Draws: 2
Alvarez is in pursuit of unifying all the belts in the super middleweight class. Arguably the best fighter in the world today, pound for pound, the Mexican first fought this year back in February when he stopped Avni Yildirim in the third round. Alvarez only has 70 days to prepare for the fight against Saunders, which is relatively short in championship boxing standards, but the fact that his last bout wasn’t particularly a physically draining one could mean that his shape wouldn’t be an issue come fight day. One of the clear advantages of Alvarez in this fight is his experience. Although he’s younger than Saunders by a year (30 to 31), Alvarez has had a ton of fights against elite competition in the past. He’s fought the likes of Gennadiy Golovkin (twice), Amir Khan, Miguel Cotto, and Floyd Mayweather to name a few. And then there’s Alvarez’s renowned power. With 37 knockout wins under his belt, Alvarez is a huge threat to put Saunders to sleep, even though the latter is undefeated. He’s also an excellent counterpuncher and if Saunders gets careless, he may just walk straight into a punch that could end the night for him.
Betting on Billy Joe Saunders (+500)
Total fights: 30
Wins: 30
Wins by KO: 14
Losses: 0
Draws: 0
Without a doubt, this will be Saunders’ biggest fight of his career. A win over Alvarez will send shockwaves across the boxing world, as the Brit is a huge underdog. He’s not fast nor a powerful puncher. But being a southpaw, he has the potential to make things trickier for Alvarez inside the ring. Saunders will have to fight smart. He might have to fight from a distance and use his one-inch reach advantage. He’s also taller than Alvarez by three inches (5’11” to 5’8″), so Saunders’ head will be a further target for Canelo. Former heavyweight champion David Haye also thinks that Saunders “awkward southpaw style” could cause problems for Alvarez. That unpredictability might just be the intangible weapon Saunders will have going for him on fight night in Texas. Saunders last fought in December 2020, earning a unanimous decision win over Martin Murray at Wembley Arena. He’s no stranger to fighting on American soil, as he’s fought there before. He defeated Marcelo Esteban Coceres at Staples Center in Los Angeles via knockout back in November 2019.
Writer’s Prediction
Canelo wins via knockout.
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