The fall from boxing’s upper echelon can often be far more punishing than any punch inside the squared circle. Nearly five years after suffering a career-halting orbital fracture against Canelo Alvarez, Billy Joe Saunders has narrowly avoided time behind bars. The former two-division world champion was handed a 15-month suspended sentence for his role in a wild 2021 brawl—a violent episode fueled by depression and alcohol abuse in the wake of his first professional loss. Now 37, Saunders has shed the weight, given up drinking, and returned to training with eyes set on a lucrative 2027 rematch against Chris Eubank Jr. Yet, if he hopes to step back under the bright lights, his toughest fight will be staying out of trouble outside the ring.
The fall from boxing’s upper echelon can often be far more punishing than any punch inside the squared circle.
