Billy Joe Saunders announces boxing comeback after four-year hiatus

Former two-weight world champion Billy Joe Saunders (30-1, 14 KOs) has officially announced his return to boxing, nearly four years after his last appearance in the ring.

The 35-year-old southpaw, who previously held the WBO titles at both middleweight and super-middleweight, suffered the only loss of his career against Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez in May 2021 at AT&T Stadium.

Saunders was forced to retire on his stool after the eighth round due to a fractured eye socket.

Now, after years away from the sport, Saunders has set his sights on an ambitious goal.

"My biggest goal would be to become a three-weight world champion," Saunders said. "But let’s just get back to fighting and then see where we are."

Despite speculation over his future, Saunders insists he never considered retirement.

“Never once did it go through my head that I was actually retired,” he explained. “It just took a long time to get my head around it because I had built up so much to that fight. When I was in there, I was thinking, ‘Is this it?’”

Saunders admitted he’s been battling inner demons and unanswered questions ever since the Canelo defeat—questions he believes can only be answered inside the ring.

“There’s a lot of questions, a lot of demons inside me I need to get out,” he added. “There’s only one way to get them out and to answer those questions—and that’s by getting back in the ring. Let’s see what I’ve got left.”

Reports suggest Saunders has already held discussions with promoter Frank Warren and is targeting a comeback fight before the end of 2025.