Saunders poses a genuine threat. He is fast, elusive and his southpaw style could potentially give Canelo more to think about than against most.
The fight in Texas clearly appeals, with 65,000 tickets already sold, eclipsing the previous record for an indoor boxing event when 63,352 fans paid to watch Muhammad Ali against Leon Spinks in 1978.
Dissecting the fight himself, the undefeated Saunders said he fully planned to copy the Mayweather approach against his opponent. “We’ve seen people try to use their brawn, but we’ve only seen one man use his brain — and that was Floyd Mayweather,” he said.
“[It will be] brain over brain here. Brain wins this, technical thinking wins this.”
There is a certain irony that 31-year-old Saunders is focusing so heavily on his brain — the use of which has not been his strongest suit outside the ring.
Ed Mulholland/Matchroom
There have been no shortage of controversies: the video of him offering cash to a drug addict to perform a sex act on a passer-by; calling an airline to tell them some friends of his on board a plane had Covid, leading to their ejection from the flight; and most recently a video ‘guide’ to hitting women during lockdown.
It has understandably alienated a lot of his potential fan base and part of a British public, many of whom will instead be cheering for his rival tomorrow night.
On his day, Saunders has the tools to push Canelo, despite Tony Bellew describing the task he faces as “the Mount Everest of boxing challenges”.
For his part, Saunders believes Canelo has lost the toughness that has seen him come through 58 professional bouts with just the one blemish on his record.
As for Canelo, who has won belts at four weight divisions in all, he does not believe Saunders comes close to bothering him for the win.
“He’s a great fighter, he has a lot of abilities,” he said. “He’s also a southpaw. But I’m not the same fighter of six or seven years ago. This Saturday, I will show that. I’ve been involved in a lot of big fights and this is just another day in the office. I come to win.”
