Canelo Alvarez vs. Billy Joe Saunders: Live round-by-round updates

MMA Fighting has Canelo Alvarez vs. Billy Joe Saunders live round-by-round updates for one of the most anticipated boxing fights of the year.

The main event will start a little after 11 p.m. ET. Check out our Canelo vs. Saunders results page to find out what happened on the undercard.

Canelo has gone 13-0-1 over his past 14 fights and is 55-1-2 overall with 37 knockouts. He is the current WBA, WBC and The Ring super middleweight champion and could earn up to $35 million for pay-per-view sales.

Saunders is 30-0 with 14 knockouts in his career. The Brit is the WBO super middleweight champion and could earn up to $5 million for the fight.

Check out Canelo vs. Saunders main event live blog below for tonight’s top fight at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Michael Buffer in the ring for the introductions.

We’ll be getting the national anthems of the United Kingdom, Mexico, and the United States tonight.

The WBO super middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders out first.

And here comes Canelo Alvarez, much to the delight of the 70,000-plus in attendance. He has a live musical act to perform his entrance.

The fighters are in the ring and Buffer is doing his thing. Massive support for Canelo from the live crowd.

And we’re off!

Round 1: Saunders starting right off with a long jab. Canelo taking his time coming forward. No punches from Canelo through the first minute. There’s a left to the body for Canelo. Saunders content to jab away. Canelo nearly catches him with an uppercut coming in. Canelo lands a jab. Saunders to the body, he gets tagged back to the body. Canelo rips a heavy right hand to the body. Saunders doubles up on the jab and scores with a left. Another good body shot for Canelo.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Canelo.

Round 2: Canelo throws out a right uppercut, Saunders clinches up. Saunders keeping that jab busy, he gets backed up to the ropes and Canelo goes to the body. High right hand for Canelo. Saunders steps in with a body shot and they clinch. Saunders with a quick uppercut, but Canelo’s power has him retreating. Good body shot for Canelo. Saunders snipes him with a jab. He’s not having much luck landing anything else. Short uppercut for Canelo, then a second. Saunders lands a jab but eats another right. Good left hand for Saunders, Canelo scores to the body.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Canelo. Overall, 20-18 Canelo.

Round 3: Canelo letting Saunders jab away. Right uppercut to the body for Canelo. Sneaky left hook to the body for Canelo. Saunders circling, really exploring the studio space, as it were. Canelo finally closes the distance and hits that right uppercut. Right hand connects for Canelo, but Saunders shakes it off. His hands are low and he’s daring Canelo to throw. Jab by Saunders and he gets out of the way of a check left hook. Saunders scores with jabs.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Canelo. Overall, 30-27 Canelo.

Round 4: Quick three-punch combo for Saunders. Canelo connects with a straight right. Saunders motions for him to bring it on and lands another combo. He’s evading Canelo’s power in round four. Saunders definitely the busier fighter. Saunders blocks a body shot. Canelo misses with an uppercut, then goes to the body with a straight right. Saunders having success with his jab. Canelo finds a home for his right uppercut, Saunders felt that one. Canelo coming forward to close out the round.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Saunders. Overall, 39-37 Canelo.

Round 5: Canelo targets the body. Saunders still loose, relying on his movement to avoid damage. He doubles up on a jab and catches Canelo’s chin. Canelo works the jab and steps in with a right that Saunders deflects. Head-body combo for Saunders, then he jabs to set up a left hook. Canelo advances with a jab and lands a loud body shot. Quick left hook for Saunders.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Saunders. Overall, 48-47 Canelo.

Round 6: Saunders flicking away at Canelo as Canelo advances without throwing much. He goes for a body shot and Saunders ties him up. Quick right by Saunders scores. Canelo looking to set things up with his jab more, he goes to the body with a big right again. Saunders with a couple of straight lefts, then a left hook as Canelo misses. 1-2 by Saunders. Saunders getting Canelo to chase him. Canelo lands a right hook, then an uppercut. Saunders sticks his tongue out at Canelo. Nice check right hook by Saunders. Canelo just walking him down with straight punches.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Saunders. Overall, 57-57.

Round 7: Saunders opens up with a body-head-head combo. Canelo keeps landing that right to the body. Saunders firing, but only catching glove. Canelo with a bit more urgency now, he scores to the body again. Two-punch combo for Canelo and Saunders just nods at him. Left hook and a body shot for Saunders. Canelo with a fast counter right that catches Saunders.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Canelo. Overall, 67-66 Canelo.

Round 8: Saunders pawing at Canelo with that jab. Canelo keeping that guard high while Saunders has his gloves by his waist. Canelo dodges a Saunders uppercut and lands a straight right to the body. Counter shot to the body by Canelo. He scores to the body again and he beckons the crowd to cheer louder. Right uppercut has Saunders getting his guard up. Right hook clangs off Saunders’ head, he defiantly shakes it. He grabs a hold of Canelo as Canelo tries to corner him. Straight right for Canelo. Saunders ducks right into a left uppercut.

MMA Fighting scores the round 10-9, Canelo. Overall, 77-75 Canelo.

Saunders needs that cold compress as his right eye is swelling up badly. Canelo begins to celebrate and it looks like they won’t let Saunders continue. The bout has been waved off! Canelo unifies the super middleweight titles.

Official result: Canelo Alvarez def. Billy Joe Saunders via TKO (corner stoppage) - Round 8, 3:00

Canelo now adds the WBO super middleweight belt to his WBA, WBC and The Ring titles.

Post-fight quotes from Canelo:

“The fight, as I said, I was winning round by round, it is as I told you. My fight would develop after the sixth and seventh round. I started getting adjusted really quick. I knew that this was going to be the final round.”

“I think I broke his cheek and I knew he wasn’t going to come out.”

“That’s the plan [to fight IBF super middleweight champion Caleb Plant next], to go for the belt and I’m coming, my friend.”