Canelo Alvarez stops Billy Joe Saunders to cement his status as boxing’s pound-for-pound great

Canelo adds another title after brutal eighth round stoppage (Picture: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom)

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez has secured a hard-fought TKO victory over Billy Joe Saunders to secure another world title.

Canelo, the WBC, WBA and Ring Magazine super-middleweight champion, adds the WBO title to his collection after stopping the previously undefeated Saunders in front of 70,000 spectators in Arlington, Texas.  

Saunders enjoyed success in the mid-rounds but was rocked with a vicious right hook in the eighth with his eye immediately swelling. The Briton was unable to answer the bell with the fight stopped in the corner before the ninth.

Canelo meanwhile cements his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing, recording his 56th professional win.

Canelo set out to assert his dominance in the early rounds, loading up big body shots with the intention of slowing Saunders while also trying to find a home for some vicious right-hand uppercuts.

Saunders impressed in the mid-rounds (Picture: Ed Mulholland/Matchroom)

In the fourth, Saunders began to connect with his slick combinations but a spectacular short-range uppercut almost sent his mouth guard flying across the ring however as Canelo continued to look for those power shots.

Some fine left hooks gave Saunders confidence in the fifth, catching Canelo clean and working well behind the jab in a much more fluid round for the Briton.

Finding his rhythm in the sixth, Saunders’ combinations continued to find their target with the fight finely poised by its halfway point, with Canelo’s volume of punches momentarily dropping from its usual standard as the Briton expertly moved around the ring.

Entering the eighth however, Canelo connected with a sublime counter right that rocked Saunders and brought the crowd to its feet.

Saunders’ eye immediately began swelling as a result of that shot with Canelo sensing the fight was done. Mark Tibbs, Saunders’ trainer, had seen enough with the fight stopped before the opening bell for the ninth.

Canelo will now hope to unify the 168lbs division against IBF champion Caleb Plant later this year.

MORE : ‘It’s a 60-40 fight’ – Lerrone Richards breaks down where Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez vs Billy Joe Saunders will be won and lost

MORE : Tyson Fury tells Eddie Hearn the punch which will KO Anthony Joshua

Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For more stories like this, check our sport page.