CANELO VS BJS SET FOR MAY?

P4P King Canelo Alvarez is close to agreeing a unification fight with undefeated Billy Joe Saunders (29-0, 14 KO). According to Jamie Conlan at MTK (Billy’s management team), BJS is now the front runner with a deal “highly likely and negotiations nearly there”.

Earlier reports via Mike Coppinger and Sports Illustrated had suggested that Japans’ Ryota Murata was the preferred opponent, but fan reaction to the news was not positive and it became a two horse race between Britain’s Super Middleweight champions, Billy Joe Saunders & Callum Smith.

Promoter Eddie Hearn had revealed initial offers to both of his men, Saunders and Smith, had been rejected. “Do you think De La Hoya would have accepted an offer back in the day that he felt didn’t represent the value of him as a fighter? Of course not. So again, we’re not a million miles apart but the offer wasn’t good enough!”

WBN reported Billy Joe was promised Canelo as part of the deal to switch from Frank Warren to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and it looks like Hearn has delivered once again. BJS spoke exclusively to WBN last week, “It would be nice to land the Canelo fight to show people how good I am. Right now, I’ve left this in my management’s hands at MTK. When they get back to me and say the fight is a done deal, it’s a done deal. But I haven’t seen any offer from anybody, as of yet. So if they want to get in contact, go direct to my team. That would be the best bet to get this done. MTK, get direct with them.”

So where does this leave WBSS winner Callum Smith? “This is a fight that I would jump up for, but I’m not going to put all my eggs in one basket,” said Callum in making it clear he won’t wait on Canelo. “I’d be more surprised if I do get it, than if I don’t. If I get it, so be it, and if I don’t, there’s a lot of other big fights out there for me in 2020. It would be a huge fight, but deep down, I never believed I’d get it. Stylistically, I’m not the best fight for him, and why would you pick me when you can fight anyone else in the world to fight, and still get paid massive money for it,” said Smith.

Early betting has seen Canelo open as a 1/3 favourite. Check out Betway for all the latest boxing offers including this weekends highly anticipated heavyweight rematch between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury.

Canelo vs Billy Joe Saunders is expected to take place in Last Vegas on May 2 – the weekend of Mexican national holiday, Cinco de Mayo.
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Photographer – Amanda Westcott (DAZN)