Stakes will be incredibly high Saturday, May 8, when Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez clashes with Billy Joe Saunders in a super middleweight title unification bout, live on DAZN everywhere except Mexico.
The Cinco de Mayo weekend event at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas will have Alvarez putting his WBA/WBC titles up against Saunders' WBO strap for a lion's share of the division.
While each fighter presents a stiff test to the other, with neither in position to look ahead, the question is what’s next for whoever wins? Well, DAZN News weighs a few possibilities.
If Canelo defeats Saunders
Canelo hasn't exactly minced words about the road he's on. The four-division world champion has clearly stated that he wants to become the first undisputed super middleweight champ of the world and add yet another illustrious chapter in his boxing legacy.
A win over Saunders on May 8 would have Canelo touting three of the four world titles in the 168-pound division with Caleb Plant's IBF strap representing the missing piece of the puzzle for undisputed glory. That's precisely why the Mexican fighter would be off to the races trying to book a title unification bout with Plant if successful against Saunders first.
Plant, who will be watching Canelo vs. Saunders keenly, has already been anticipating the bout — even with a timetable in mind.
"First (Canelo) has to beat Billy Joe Saunders in May. If he can get past him and get the belt, hopefully we can fight in September and give the fans what they want," Plant told ESPN Deportes in March about fighting Canelo for the undisputed crown. "It would be a historic night that will leave us as the first undisputed champion in the history of the super middleweights and do you know who it will be? Caleb Plant."
Like Saunders (30-0, 14 KOs), Plant (21-0, 12 KOs) remains undefeated, meaning that Canelo will not only need to hand each fighter his first blemish in the red, but also take their titles in the process during his pursuit of undisputed greatness.
If there's a boxer who could make it happen, it's Alvarez, who has seemingly never shied away from a challenge.
If Saunders defeats Canelo
The slick boxing southpaw getting the best of Canelo would not only give "Superb" his career-defining victory for the ages, but it'd be a statement made toward the entire boxing world, period. So, what would be next if Saunders drags Canelo's WBA and WBC titles out of the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on May 8 night? Well, plenty of money for Saunders for starters.
However, how about a unification bout with Saunders and Caleb Plant? The stage would be set for the sweet science to crown its first super middleweight champion in boxing history if the bout is cemented. That is, if Saunders can evade the lure of the money that would accompany a Saunders vs. Canelo rematch. When lucrative paydays in boxing come, fighters have to take it and Saunders would almost certainly make more money against an international attraction like Canelo than the blue-collar American grit of Plant.
One has got to figure that Canelo would be itching for expedited redemption — à la Anthony Joshua who exacted revenge on Andy Ruiz Jr. nearly six months after being upset.