The comeback of former two division champion Billy Joe Saunders has continued to play out.
Saunders, 34-years-old, has been out of the ring for over two years.
His last fight came in May of 2021, when he suffered the first defeat of his career – a stoppage loss at the hands of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in their super middleweight unification clash.
Over the last two years, Saunders would hint at coming back and he would also hint at retirement.
Promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom has been talking with Saunders about a potential return by the end of the year.
Saunders is currently training, but he appears to be very heavy based on recent photos circulating on social media.
Hearn would like to see Saunders back on a date in December, possibly in a light heavyweight contest, and then back down to super middleweight in 2024.
“I liked what I heard from Billy. The reality about Billy Joe Saunders is he’s been a pain in the ass to me at times, I also feel like we’ve done a great job for him, I think he respects that,” Hearn told IFL TV.
“When I sit down with him I realize what an asset he can be to British boxing when he’s not misbehaving. I think he may return in December. I think a fight up at 175-pounds could be an option, and then down to 168-pounds for a big fight in the Spring, and that’s what we discussed.”
At the moment, Canelo is still the top man at 168 and holds every major title. He returns to the ring on September 30 in a Showtime pay-per-view showdown against Jermell Charlo, the undisputed junior middleweight champion, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.