Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn explained why Billy Joe Saunders did not get off the stool for round nine vs. Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night.
Saunders took on Alvarez on Saturday night in a massive boxing event at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The fight was fairly competitive throughout, but Alvarez was slightly up on points at the end of the eighth round. After the round break was over, Saunders chose to not get off the stool and the fight was called. According to Hearn, Saunders broke his orbital bone and his team made the decision not to let him go back out for round nine.
According to Eddie Hearn, Billy Joe Saunders busted his eye socket and his trainer refused to let him go back out.
Later on, videos emerged of the moment that Alvarez landed the blow that broke Saunders’ eye socket. It was an absolutely vicious uppercut from the P4P great that got Saunders.
For Saunders, it was a tough way to suffer his first career loss as he appears to have suffered an injury during the defeat, but he is still one of the top boxers in the world and one loss won’t ruin his career. Save for Floyd Mayweather Jr., no one has been able to get past Alvarez, so there is no shame in losing to him. The fact that Saunders was somewhat competitive up until the stoppage is something he can take away from the fight on a positive note that can hopefully help him rebound in the future when he returns.
As for Alvarez, this was yet another fantastic win for the best boxer in the world, and he will likely be in line for another big-money fight his next time in the ring.
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Update: Hearn supplied a comment to The Athletic’s Mike Coppinger.
