After Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez announced his intention to follow up his December 19 win over Callum Smith with a quick sequence bouts in February, May and September of 2021, his super-middleweight rival Billy Joe Saunders revealed he intends to do the same — and be the man who faces Canelo in the summer.
Saunders was himself victorious in December, as he comfortably retained his WBO 168lb title against fellow Brit Martin Murray at the SSE Arena in Wembley, after which Murray retired from boxing with five failed world title challenges to his name.
Canelo, meanwhile, claimed the WBA and The Ring belts from the previously-undefeated Smith and won the vacant WBC strap in the process at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Alvarez is widely believed to be headed for a mandatory title defence against Avni Yildirim in February, and he believes he could fight as many as four times this calendar year.
Saunders, meanwhile, has been linked with the big fight with boxing's pound-for-pound star in May. The two have discussed fighting one another several times in the past, but negotiations never reached the finish line.
This time, the Hatfield-born technician not only wants to make it happen but he wants action next month, too — and he told IFL TV his ideal next opponent would be Demetrius Andrade.
Andrade vs. Saunders is another elusive big fight that almost took place multiple times in the past at middleweight. And with "Boo Boo" repeatedly calling him out, Saunders wants his WBO middleweight counterpart to move up a division and put his money where his mouth is.
“I’m supremely confident of knocking Andrade out cold," said Saunders. "I love boxing southpaws, I love fighting someone with his style. I’ve got a very good track record against southpaws.
"I would love to give him a hiding. Let’s get it on, and rock and roll. Vacate the WBO 160 title, move up and you’re the mandatory.
"I can make 160, but why would I want to go back down to 160 when all the big money fights are at 168, and all the big talents have come up to 168?
“Move up, come up to 168. I don’t want to be sitting around. Let Canelo do his thing. If he’s fighting in February, I would love to fight him in May, but if he thinks I’m going to be sitting around until May twiddling my thumbs, he’s got another thing coming.
“I’m not going to be doing that. I’m back in the gym, I’m in shape, let’s get it on. Let’s stop beating around the bush and waiting around.”