Saunders: GGG Must KO Canelo to Get Win
Gennady Golovkin and Canelo Alvarez have their highly anticipated rematch tonight, and WBO Middleweight Champion Billy Joe Saunders may be one of those awaiting an eventual showdown with the winner.
Saunders is scheduled to defend his title on Oct. 20 against Demetrius Andrade. He nearly was the replacement opponent after Alvarez pulled out of the original May rematch with Golovkin due to a failed drug test.
Saunders is hoping with a win over Andrade, and with a Golovkin win over Alvarez, a GGG-Saunders title unification bout can come to fruition at some point in 2019.
“The one I want is Golovkin,” Saunders told Starsport. “I believe it is destiny, I believe he is going to win and I will come through then I will show the world what I really am. I know I have to be on my game for Andrade, that is not an easy fight and I can’t mess up. I would love to see Golovkin come through, me beat Andrade and then we get it on. That’s the end goal for me.
It’s destiny, it’s meant to happen. I genuinely believe, no matter what people may say, I will beat one of the greats. When I was walking to the ring for my last fight with David Lemieux I was thinking ‘This isn’t Golovkin’ and I still boxed out of my skin. When I box someone like Golovkin I will have 36 minutes to become an absolute superstar, a household name. Nobody will take that away from me once that bell rings. I want that big fight to show what I am. I can’t look past Andrade, he’s in the way of that dream. Once I beat Golovkin, I can say I’ve done everything.
But for GGG to win, Saunders feels, he needs to get a knockout or TKO. Otherwise, Saunders feel Golovkin is in danger of “being robbed” again.
“I think Golovkin needs to start fast,” Saunders said. “He’s naturally the bigger man and he needs to make his presence felt. He has to stick to him like glue. Canelo is not a good mover on his toes to get out of trouble. He has to punch himself out of trouble. If Golovkin tucks up, sits on him and puts pressure on early it will take the zip out of Canelo.
But on a Golden Boy [Alvarez’s promoter] card, Golovkin knows he can’t afford to let it go 12 rounds. He is going to get robbed or he is going to stop him, that is how it will go.
Original Story: Boxing Scene