The final press conference took place today ahead of the super middleweight unification showdown between Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders on Saturday at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, live worldwide on DAZN and TV Azteca.

Canelo Alvarez: “I feel really thankful with the response of the people and that boxing is a sport that brings everything back to normal. I’m ready for this fight. He’s a great fighter, he has a lot of ability and he’s a southpaw. I’m not the same fighter I was six or seven years ago, this Saturday I will show that. I’ve been involved in a lot of big fights and this is just another day at the office. I come to win, like I said boxing is my life and I come here to win.”

Billy Joe Saunders: “I don’t think we’ve had somebody come to win for a very long time. We’ve had a lot of people turn up, collect checks and fly out but we haven’t had the heart, soul and IQ that I’ll bring to the ring on Saturday night to win.
“I can’t talk what he’s done down, he’s done brilliant things for boxing. He’s a good champion but like I said, there’s a time in life where you get tested, sometimes when you forget where come from and forget all those hard things that’s brought you to where you’re at sometimes that can make it difficult on yourself. I think he’s going to be bumping into the wrong man Saturday night to be going home with titles. I’m looking forward to a very good fight but most definitely the win.

“I think I’ve been up against the crowds before; I’ve traveled as an amateur to the Olympics game at 18, there’s no bigger pressure on someone’s shoulders when they’re stepping in front of millions of people there.

“There’s added pressure coming for both of us for this fight because both of us don’t want to go home the loser. At the end of the day, half the Mexican people like him, half don’t, so hopefully half that don’t like him will be supporting the Gypsy boy, we’ll get it rocking and rolling. This is for all the Gypsies back home, everyone in the UK, plus half the Mexicans, get behind me.”

Eddy Reynoso: “It’ll be a great fight, two of the best middleweight fighters in the world in front of 70,000 people – especially after the pandemic. It gives me a lot of joy and honor to be there as a Mexican in the ring. He’s a great fighter, he’s a two-time champion for a reason. He has a good trainer, he knows how to defend, he moves around really well. We know it’s going to be a good fight on and off the ring.”

Tom Saunders: “He’s been boxing since he was five years old, his amateur pedigree is second to none. Everything is there and we’re ready for the job. This is what we’ve been waiting for, he’s trained all his life for it. We’ve left no stone unturned and on fight night you’re going to see something special. There’s only one winner, that’s Billy Joe Saunders.”

Elwin Soto: “I’m very happy for this opportunity, he’s a really good fighter and we’re going to come out here and try to do a good job. It’s a great emotion inside, it’s a great opportunity that was given to be and I have to take advantage. I’m very happy inside. I want to come out victorious this Saturday and after that maybe think about unify at 108 pounds and continue to move forward.”

Katsunari Takayama: “First of all, thank you for giving me this great opportunity. On Saturday, I look forward to giving back the title from two different divisions. Soto is a very angry and aggressive fighter, very strong punches. I’m ready to fight on Saturday.”