BILLY JOE SAUNDERS was the latest in a long line of boxers to suffer horror eye injuries in the ring.
Saunders was left with a FOUR fractures after a right uppercut from Canelo Alvarez caused the career-threatening damage.
The Brit was rightfully pulled out to prevent further punishment, the likes of which others were unfortunately on the end of.
With a history of gruesome and grotesque eye injuries in the sport, here SunSport looks at ten horrific injuries.
Hasim Rahman vs Evander Holyfield, 2002
An accidental head butt in round eight by Holyfield left Rahman with a now famous hematoma.
The heavyweight was left with golf ball-sized swelling on the left side of his face, with Holyfield awarded the win as it prematurely went to points.
Rahman felt the head butts were on purpose, and had to wait a year until he could return.
Vitali Klitschko vs Lennox Lewis, 2003
Klitschko was on his way to an upset as he built an early lead against Britain’s heavyweight champion.
But the tide turned by the end of round five, as a gash stemmed from a right hand by Lewis in the third worsened.
After the end of round six, Klitschko’s eye was so badly cut, the ref stopped the fight, with Lewis – down on all the cards – awarded the win by stoppage.
Erik Morales vs Marcos Maidana, 2011
Amazingly, Mexican legend Morales suffered an injury to his right eye just ONE MINUTE into the fight.
Even more astonishingly, he boxed all 12 rounds unable to see out of it as it closed shut, with the vaseline used only blurring his vision further.
Morales eventually earned a draw for his brave effort as he showed off his severely swollen eye post-fight.
Pawel Wolak vs Delvin Rodriguez, 2011
In round four, Wolak suffered a disfiguring hematoma on the right side of his face.
It grew worse as the fight went on but amazingly it reached the scorecards, with the bout ending in a draw.
Wolak’s right eye was completely shut after the battle, which was voted Fight of The Year by several outlets.
Andre Berto vs Robert Guerrero, 2011
Berto was dropped in the first and second round against Guerrero and as a result suffered a closed right eye.
But he came on strong and even caused facial damage for Guerrero as the two heavy traded blows on the inside.
By the end of the 12 rounds, Berto was outpointed on the cards and left with both his eyes closed due to swelling.
Kell Brook vs Gennady Golovkin, 2017
Brook’s leap from welterweight to middleweight ended in disaster as a right hand from Golovkin left him with a fractured right orbital bone.
But it got even worse for the Brit on his return a year later as Errol Spence Jr broke his left orbital bone.
With both eyes damaged, Brook was forced to have plates inserted, but has not yet retired.
Anthony Yigit vs Ivan Baranchyk, 2018
Yigit’s left eye expanded to the size of a cricket ball after his world title fight with Baranchyk.
After five rounds, the referee called for the ringside doctor’s opinion and the fight was soon waved off.
Somehow, Yigit was left with no lasting damages, instead just a heavily bruised eye.
Daniel Dubois vs Joe Joyce, 2020
Dubois was barely able to see after Joyce’s jab completely battered the heavyweight’s left eye.
In the 11th round, another straight left caused Dubois to take a knee, where he was counted out.
It was later revealed he suffered a cracked eye socket and bleed on the retina.
Ebanie Bridges vs Shannon Courtenay, 2021
Aussie Bridges suffered gruesome swelling in her bantamweight world title fight with Courtenay.
Fortunately, the bruising came late on in the bout, allowing Bridges to box until the end.
She was involved in a thriller but was beaten on points, left showing off her horror battle scars afterwards.
Billy Joe Saunders vs Canelo Alvarez, 2021
Saunders had stated to find his rhythm in the middle stages of the fight until Canelo’s devastating right hand.
Trainer Mark Tibbs was left with no choice but to withdraw his man from the action to avoid any needless punishment.
Saunders revealed he had an operation to mend his broken eye socket and cheekbone and vowed to be back stronger.
