Canelo Alvarez looked befuddled at times, but he turned it on in round eight, and stopped Billy Joe Saunders after that frame to retain the WBA/WBC and win the WBO Super Middleweight title from Billy Joe Saunders in front of an American indoor record of 73, 126 fans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Alvarez came out landing thudding power shots against the slick jabbing Saunders. Saunders found a rhythm in the middle frames as he was able to get his jab and uppercuts working he began to give the Mexican icon problems.

With the fight seemingly close, Alvarez stepped on the gas in round eight, as he got back to landing hard punches, which included a uppercut that caused the right eye to close. After the round, Saunders was distressed by the eye and his corner pulled the plug on the fight.

Alvarez, 167.4 lbs of Guasalajara, Mexico now owns three of the four recognized titles and will to become undisputed with a proposed Fall showdown with Caleb Plant. Alvarez is now 56-1-2 with 38 knockouts. Saunders, 167.8 lbs of Hatfield, UK is 30-1.

Soto stops Takayama; Retains Light Flyweight title

Elwin Soto made the third defense of the WBO Light Flyweight title with a controversial ninth-round stoppage of former world champion Katsunari Takayama.

Soto dominated by landing the harder punches; Takayama kept himself in the bout by landing some nice flurries throughout.

In round nine, Soto was landing some good power shots, but Takayama was throwing back, but for some reason, referee Laurence Cole stepped in and stopped the bout with both guys in mid-flurry at 2:44.

Soto, 107.8 lbs of Baja California, MEX is 19-1 with 13 knockouts. Takayama, 107.6 lbs of Osake, JAP is 32-9.

Cissokho survives knockdown; Decisions Conway

Souleymane Cissokho won a 10-round split decision over Kieron Conway in a super welterweight fight.

In round four, Conway began leaking blood from his nose.

In round nine, Conway dropped Cissokho with hard uppercut to the face.

Cissokho landed 115 of 539 punches; Conway was 84 of 403.

Cissokho won by scores of 96-93 and 95-94 while Conway somehow got a card 97-92.

Cissokho, 153.6 lbs of Bagnolet, FRA is now 13-0. Conway, 154 lbs of Northampton, UK is 16-2.

Sanchez wins Technical Decision over Aguilera

Frank Sanchez remained undefeated with a technical unanimous decision over Nagy Aguilera when Aguilera could not continue after getting hit behind the head in the 6th round of their 10-round heavyweight bout.

Sanchez dominated the fight, and in round six, Sanchez landed a shot that scraped the back of Aguilera’s head that sent him down. He could not continue and the fight went to the judges scorecards, which all read 60-54 in favor of Sanchez.

Sanchez landed 81 of 240 punches; Aguilera was 32 of 181.

Sanchez, 237 lbs of Guantanamo, CUB is 18-0. Aguilera, 238.2 lbs of Houston, TX is 21-11.

Marc Castro remained undefeated with a fourth round stoppage over Irving Castillo in a lightweight bout.

In round one, Castillo began to bleed from the nose. In round four, Castro dropped Castillo, and the fight was stopped at 2:04.

Castro, 132 1/4 lbs is 3-0 with three knockouts. Castillo is 9-2.

Keyshawn Davis remained perfect with a six-round unanimous decision over Jose Antonio Meza in a junior welterweight bout.

Davis, 138 lbs of Norfolk, VA won by scores of 60-54 on all cards and is now 3-0. Meza, 138 lbs of Gomez Palico, MEX is 6-5.

Christian Gomez Duran stopped Xavier Wilson in round two of their scheduled eight-round welterweight bout.

Duran dropped Wilson with a hard over rand fight and the fight was stopped.

Duran, 147 lbs of Guadalajara, MEX is 20-2-1 with 18 knockouts. Wilson, 147.8 lbs of San Antonio, TX is 11-3-1.

Kelvin Davis survived a last minute knockdown, but still hung on to win a four-round unanimous decision over Jan Marsalek in a welterweight bout.

Davis was breezing along until he ate a overhand right that sent him to the canvas. Davis was hurt, but time ran out for Marsalek.

Davis, 143.8 lbs of Norfolk, VA won by scores of 38-37 on all cards, and is now 2-0. Marsalek, 144.4 lbs of Czech Reoublic is 8-3.

Elwin Soto will defend his WBO World Light-Flyweight title against Katsunari Takayama as the chief-support bout to the blockbuster Super-Middleweight unification clash between Canelo Alvarez and Billy Joe Saunders on May 8 at AT&T stadium in Arlington, TX, live worldwide on DAZN (except Mexico).

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Soto (18-1 12 KOs) fights under the Matchroom banner for the first time on the show having penned a deal with Eddie Hearn last week. The Mexican makes the third defense of the crown he ripped from Angel Acosta in dramatic fashion with a final round KO win in California in June 2019 and has seen off the challenges of Edward Heno in October 2019 and Carlos Butrago last October.

The 24 year old now puts the crown on the line against the seasoned Japanese Takayama (32-8 12 KOs). The five-time Minimumweight champion made his return to professional action in December in Osaka, Japan having left the paid ranks as a World ruler in 2017 to aim for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo – and now the 37 year old has switched his focus to becoming a two-weight World champion.

There’s a stacked card under the two World title fights, led by Kieron Conway defending his WBA Intercontinental Super-Welterweight title against Souleymane Cissokho.

Conway (16-1-1 3 KOs) picked up the title with an impressive win over Navid Mansouri at Matchroom’s Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex in August. Conway and Cissokho (12-0 8 KOs) were due to meet on the undercard of Anthony Joshua’s win over Kubrat Pulev in London in December, but the bout had to be shelved, so Conway took his frustrations out on Macauley McGowan on that card instead, with a shut-out win over ten rounds.

French Olympian Cissokho shrugged off his pain at missing the original fight date on the undercard of his manager Joshua by recording his eighth KO win from 12 outings with a sixth round stoppage of Daniel Echeverria in Dallas in March, setting up a rescheduled clash with Conway that is full of intrigue and importance for their respective careers.

Frank Sanchez (17-0 13 KOs) let his hands go for a seventh round KO win over Julian Fernandez on the undercard of Alvarez’s win over Callum Smith in San Antonio, Texas in December, and the big Cuban Heavyweight will be looking to repeat that feat against Nagy Aguilera (21-10 14 KOs).

Sanchez is ranked at a lofty #6 with the WBO, and the 28 year old Eddy Reynoso charge will be plotting a route to the crunch clashes with his fellow big-hitters, but Aguilera will be planning to give him a tough night and the 34 year old comes into the bout on the back of a 21^st career win in November.

Mexican-American talent Marc Castro (2-0 2 KOs) makes it three Canelo undercard appearances from three since making his pro debut on the Canelo-Smith card in Texas. The stellar amateur recorded a third round stoppage that night and followed that with a second round KO in Miami on the Canelo-Yildirim bill – the 21 year old will be looking to shine on the biggest stage once again over eight rounds against an opponent to be named soon.

Castro’s old amateur foe Keyshawn Davis (2-0 2 KOs) made his debut at the Hard Rock Stadium and he appears alongside Castro once again in his third pro outing. The Virginia starlet grabbed a second round win that night over Lester Brown and followed that by forcing Richman Ashelley to retire after four rounds of their battle in Dubai earlier this month, and Davis will face Jose Antonio Meza (6-4 1 KO) over six rounds. It’s a family affair on the night with Keyshawn’s brother Kelvin Davis (1-0 1 KO) fights for the second time in the paid ranks after a second round KO win on his debut in December in Los Angeles, taking on Jan Marsalek (8-2 7 KOs) over six rounds.

Rounding off the undercard, Mexican Welterweight Christian Alan Gomez Duran (19-2-1 17 KOs) is on another Canelo undercard after stopping Angel Hernandez in three rounds in San Antonio in December, and he’ll celebrate Cinco De Mayo weekend over eight rounds against an opponent to be named soon.

“It’s a stacked night of action at the home of the Dallas Cowboys on Cinco De Mayo weekend,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “Elwin Soto is a great addition to our stable and the Mexican World champion will want to dazzle on the biggest stage against the experienced Takayama.

“The clash between Kieron and Souleymane is a cracker, and I am thrilled for both of them that they get to perform on this stage – there will be some spice there after it was postponed in December and now, they get their hands on each other in Texas.

“Frank always brings the heat and he’ll be eyeing a showstopping KO, and again, Marc and Keyshawn get to shine under the brightest lights – it’s going to be a spectacular night of action, leading to the big one between Canelo and Billy Joe.”