Billy Joe Saunders suffered multiple fractures to his eye socket against Canelo Alvarez
(Picture: Getty Images)Billy Joe Saunders will undergo surgery on multiple orbital fractures following his defeat by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed.
Saunders was retired before the ninth round of Saturday night’s super-middleweight title unification clash in Arlington, Texas after sustaining serious damage around his right eye following a powerful right uppercut that left him unable to see properly.
The former WBO champion was promptly taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in nearby Fort Worth for assessment on a suspected fractured eye socket.
Hearn has now revealed that Saunders stayed in hospital overnight and is set to undergo surgery on Sunday after confirmation that he suffered multiple fractures to his orbital area.
Hearn tweeted: “Just at hospital in Dallas, @bjsaunders_stayed in overnight.
“Suffered multiple fractures to orbital area and will undergo surgery this afternoon.”
Speaking to IFL TV after Saunders’ first career defeat, Hearn warned that such a serious injury will keep the 30-year-old sidelined for a “long, long time”.
“You could see as soon as he hit him that he’d done his eye socket,” Hearn said.
Just at hospital in Dallas, @bjsaunders_ stayed in overnight. Suffered multiple fractures to orbital area and will undergo surgery this afternoon.
— Eddie Hearn (@EddieHearn) May 9, 2021
“I think because he couldn’t see, the next round was going to be a bad situation. I think he would have got badly hurt in that round.
“He’s gone to the hospital, and I believe he’ll have that operated on immediately. So he’s going to be out for a long, long time.”
