Billy Joe Saunders has dared Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez to fight him following the announcement that his next fight is for a vacant WBO belt.

Saunders fights Albanian boxer Shefat Isufi at Stevenage FC’s Lamex Stadium on May 18 for the vacant WBO world super-middleweight championship. 

He has also said that he would be willing to fight Alvarez at either middleweight or super-middleweight, but doesn’t believe that the Mexican wants the bout. 

Saul Alvarez fought American boxer Daniel Jacobs on Saturday night - winning on a points decision - to unify the middleweight division. 

Speaking to RingNews24.com, Saunders said: “I would love the Canelo fight, but does he want to fight me? I don’t think so.

“If they do want to fight me, ring me up. I am not asking for millions. Just be fair with me and we can get the show on the road.

“Canelo has cemented his name, made good money and is a superstar in the sport. I wouldn’t say he is avoiding me, but there are plenty of people he can pick apart from Billy Joe Saunders.

“That is a fact. Who wants to fight a slick southpaw who is hard to hit?

“It could be middleweight or super-middleweight. I want the big fights and that is a reason I am moving up to super-middleweight. I cannot get the big fights at middleweight.”

Saunders is also being linked with an all-British bout against Liverpudlian boxer Callum Smith, should he secure the WBO super-middleweight belt.

Smith is bigger than Saunders, but the Hertfordshire-born boxer doesn’t think that would play too much of a part. 

“Callum is a good fighter and big, but I think people go on about size in this sport too much.

“We saw David Haye beating Nikolai Valuev. Size doesn’t matter in this sport.

“If you’re good enough, you’re good enough, end of and I believe I am good enough to beat Callum Smith. That is a fight I would entertain.”

German based Albanian Shefat Isufi’s last fight saw him beat Belgian Mohammed El Achi on points, and May 18 will see him fight in the UK for the first time.