Billy Joe Saunders retains super middleweight title and remains in contention to face Canelo Alvarez

Billy Joe Saunders remained in contention against Saul “Canelo” Alvarez retaining his world super middleweight title via a smooth and unanimous points win over Martin Murray on Friday.

Saunders posted scores of 120-109, 120-109 and 118-110 over English rival Murray for a second WBO title defense at SSE Arena in London.

Saunders (30-0, 14 KOs), a former middleweight world champion, had been linked with a fight against Alvarez (53-1-2, 36 KOs) earlier this year, but the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted those plans.

“It’s not a performance I’m going to call people out for,” Saunders said, but it seemed a little too critical.

Saunders, 31, of Hatfield, is still hoping to face Canelo in 2021, assuming the four-weight world champion overtakes compatriot Callum Smith (27-0, 19 KOs), who holds the WBA version of the world super title. -means. , during a fight at the Alamodome in San Antonio on December 19.

“Everyone wants Canelo; I hope Smith beats him, but based on this performance, I hope he [Canelo] Take it, “Saunders said.” Let’s see if I can get a big fight that I can get up on and put on a shift. It is important for me to stay in the gym; I feel like I’m in the prime of my life. The endurance was there, but the timing was a bit off. Canelo, Smith, Demetrius Andrade – I need a big fight to get up. “

For Murray (39-6-1, 17 KOs), it was a familiar story. The likeable 38-year-old from St. Helens lost a fifth shot at a world title after unsuccessful attempts against Arthur Abraham, Gennady Golovkin, Sergio Martinez and Felix Sturm (draw). Murray can rightly feel he should have been crowned the world champion in some of the early title shots, especially against Sturm in 2011, but he was completely dominated by Saunders.

“I was going to retire two years ago, but I knew I had a big fight left,” said Murray. “I’ve had five shots at the world title. I’m not going to have six. I think that’s it.”

Southpaw Saunders, who knocked out Marcelo Esteban Coceres in Los Angeles on his last outing 13 months ago, may be inconsistent in his form, but he has been remarkably sharp throughout against Murray, winning sharp combinations from the start to finish.

The third round was an impressive one for Saunders, whose quick jab repeatedly pierced Murray’s guard, also going through a few uppercuts. Saunders also made his own way in the fourth round, and when he landed three straight shots Murray stumbled forward and was fortunate enough not to be counted.

Saunders was in good shape and kept the pressure on throughout the fifth and sixth rounds with his slick combinations while Murray was limited to single shots on the clock. Murray had some success at the end of the sixth and seventh, but had to take a big right uppercut in the eighth as well as a lot of back-to-back jabs.

Saunders put more venom into his shots in the ninth round and varied his combinations in the 10th when it seemed like an unnecessary task for Murray. Saunders caught Murray with a soft left uppercut after attacking the body in the 10th, and he finished the fight in cruise control.

On the under-map, James Tennyson (28-3, 24 KOs) of Northern Ireland claimed a 134-second victory over Josh O’Reilly, who was knocked down twice before the Canadian came to rest on his feet wobbly. Tennyson, who lost to American Tevin Farmer for the IBF World Junior Lightweight Title two years ago, is now set for another world title after easily winning that eliminator for the WBA lightweight title, held by Teofimo Lopez with the other three belts.

Tennyson (16-0, 6 KOs), 27, has now recorded six stoppage wins since his five-round loss to Farmer in Boston and is in great shape. Tennyson started pulling big shots from the first bell, injuring O’Reilly with hooks and straight uppercuts.

“I feel a lot stronger so the climb has helped a lot,” said Tennyson.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has said a clash with former champion Jorge Linares would be a good next step for Tennyson before taking on Americans Lopez and Gervonta Davis.

English bantamweight Shannon Courtenay (6-1, 3 KOs) knocked down Poland’s Dorota Norek (6-2, 1 KO) off her feet and through the ropes with a perfect right hand to seal a knockout victory in the seventh tower.