Written by: Shawn Cross
“I feel really happy to be back in May, because after my surgery, I wasn’t sure when I would be back,” says Canelo Alvarez in the press release announcing his next fight, on May 6. Future Mexico Hall of Famer. “Being back in the ring and fighting back in Jalisco, where I come from, makes me especially happy. And in John Ryder, I’m up against a very competitive fighter.” Akron Stadium in Guadalajara will be the host for the 12-round pay-per-view event. Needless to say, Canelo’s undisputed super middleweight title will be at stake.
Although Ryder 32-5, from Great Britain, is seen as an easy fight for 58-2-2 Canelo, he is mandatory for Canelo’s WBO belt, so it’s not like he didn’t get his turn in class. Moreover, there are those who say Canelo may be a little past his prime. In other words, nobody ever knows.
“There is no denying that Canelo is one of the greats and I have a lot of respect for what he has achieved in the sport, but I fully believe that now is the time for me to fulfill my dream of becoming a world champion,” says Ryder. “I’m not going there for a holiday. For me, it’s pure work and my full focus is on going to his backyard in Guadalajara on May 6th and bringing those belts back with me to the UK. I want to thank the team, Tony and Charlie Sims and Mushroom Boxing for making it happen.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn is pushing the match as a historic affair. “This is a moment that will forever be etched in the history of Mexican boxing and sports,” he says. Defending the undisputed championship of Canelo Alvarez in his hometown in front of 50,000 fans will be an incredible spectacle and a night we will never forget. Canleo’s trainer, Eddie Reynoso, sees the Ryder fighter as an historic occasion, too.
“Canelo’s return to Mexico is historic for Mexican boxing,” Reynoso says. “He returns as an undisputed champion, proof that a Mexican can succeed outside his country with discipline and love for his sport.”
