Former WBO 168 lbs champion Billy Joe Saunders suffered the maiden loss of his career against Canelo Alvarez via RTD after round eight of their fight. However, he appeared strong and dominated the first half of the contest. That said, his promoter Eddie Hearn, who hailed him, reacted to his brutal eye injury.

Having suffered Canelo Alvarez’s vicious right hand, Saunders’ right eye was completely bruised. Hence, the referee stopped the fight and didn’t let him take more punishment. After the battle, the Matchroom Chairman appeared in the ring and shared his opinion on Saunders’ loss.

“He [Billy Joe Saunders] couldn’t see. You know, I spoke to Mark Tibbs, he said, he [Saunders] couldn’t see and he wouldn’t let him go out. Billy boxed beautifully. Canelo is so strong, he took his time. Billy is so tricky, but you know he busted up his eye socket,” said Eddie Hearn.

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Despite losing, Saunders displayed his prowess in the fight. He looked into the eye of Canelo Alvarez and troubled the Mexican elite. At certain stages of the fight, Saunders was even ahead of Alvarez in the scorecard. However, the eye injury proved to be a game-changer.

Billy Joe Saunders apparently couldn’t see, and the fight had to be stopped. Now, 30-1 as a professional, the former two-division champion, Saunders can easily opt for another championship run. Thus, he still has some alluring options ahead for himself.

What’s next for Billy Joe Saunders?

The 168 lbs roster is deep and has several big names on board. While Saunders has already proved his ability in the division, he wouldn’t struggle to find a viable contender for himself. But he might have to wait for another title shot.

Alvarez now holds the WBC, WBA, WBO, and Ring super middleweight belts. Meanwhile, as Caleb Plant has the IBF strap, the two can lock horns in a massive undisputed bout.

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Thus, Saunders will have to stand in a queue. Nevertheless, he can still remain active by re-appearing this year. On bagging a win, Saunders will again be a legitimate contender for the boxing gold.

Who do you think Billy Joe Saunders will return against?