It was during this weekend's big title match - in front of 73,126 spectators in Texas - that Saunders was hit by a rock-hard uppercut halfway into the eighth round.

Saunders boxed on for a minute and a half despite noticeable eye problems, but the ring corner then chose to give up before the ninth round to protect the Briton from more damage.

Afterwards, the 31-year-old did not do any interviews but was taken directly to an ambulance.

- Fractures in the face can be life threatening and then it is not possible to continue, said the winner Canelo Alvarez after the match.

Promoter Eddie Hearn for iFL TV:

- Because he could not see anything from that eye, another round would have been very bad.

Then he could have been seriously injured.

"Multiple fractures around the eye socket"

Hearn visited the Englishman at the hospital and tweeted afterwards:

"Have just been to the hospital in Dallas.

Saunders stayed there overnight.

He has suffered multiple fractures around the eye socket and will undergo surgery this afternoon ".

Hearn also tells the site The Athletic that Saunders will now need several months of recovery to heal the injuries before he can possibly continue his career.

- If he wants to continue, there are more big matches for him out there, but he may feel that he has now reached a point where he has done everything and seen everything.

Regardless, we back him to 100 percent.

Billy Joe Saunders had 30 straight victories, 14 of them by knockout, ahead of the meeting with Alvarez.

The loss was his first in his career and the Mexican also took over the British WBO title in super middleweight (76.2 kilos).

MORE BOXING: The biggest victory in the career of Otto Wallin (February 22, 2021)

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Otto Wallin meets Dominic Breazeale during tonight's match in Connecticut, USA.

Photo: SVT / Bildbyrån