Billy Joe Saunders waits. Mostly, he wonders. But there’s still no word from Canelo Alvarez on whom he intends to fight on May 2.
It’s beginning to sound as if the frustrated Saunders won’t wait much longer. Make a decision, Saunders says, or else he is prepared to move on to another option, perhaps against another reported Alvarez possibility, Callum Smith.
“I’m up for the fight,’’ Saunders said about Alvarez during an interview with Sky Sports. “I’ve not priced myself out. I’ve asked right. I’m willing to travel for Cinco de Mayo. I can only do so much. I can only offer myself. If they really want to fight, then let’s get it on. We’ve got 12 weeks. If not, me and Callum Smith will get it on in a big fight. A huge unification fight.
“I hear Smith is the frontrunner. Then I hear I’m the frontrunner. If it doesn’t happen, I think me and Callum should fight.’’
Saunders, a super-middleweight champion, said he would even travel to Mexico to face Alvarez, who hasn’t fought in his home country in more than eight years. His last fight in Mexico was on Nov. 26, 2011, a fifth-round stoppage of Kermit Cintron in Mexico City.
“I would go to Mexico, if they want, as long as they have got a fair, square ring,” Saunders said. “Let’s see who the best is. I fear no man. If they want to fight, I’m ready to fight. I’m the WBO super middleweight champion.
“He’s a three-weight world champion, not four like he keeps saying. I wanted to be busy, I wanted to be out mid-February. But the Canelo fight got mentioned and you have to have patience. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.’’
In the wake of reports that talks for an Alvarez fight in Japan against Ryota Murata fell apart a few weeks ago, there has been widespread speculation about Alvarez’s opponent for the annual bout celebrating Cinco de Mayo.
Saunders and Smith, also a 168-pound champion, make sense. So far, however, there has only been silence from Alvarez about what – who – is next.
“The problem is, I’ve been here before,’’ Saunders said. “I’ve been here twice with Gennadiy Golovkin, I’ve been here twice with Canelo.
“These big fights? I’ve been before and seen the carpet pulled (out from under me). So I’m not excited. The only time I get excited is when I put pen to paper.”