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Canelo Alvarez & John Ryder Camp Notes
There’s one month to go until Canelo Alvarez and John Ryder
will clash for the Undisputed Super-Middleweight title in
Canelo’s long-awaited homecoming bout at the Akron Stadium
in Guadalajara, Mexico on Saturday May 6, live on DAZN and
DAZN PPV.
Canelo (58-2-2 39 KOs) fights in his homeland for the first
time in over 11 and a half years, and defends his Undisputed
crown for the second time after beating bitter rival
Gennadiy Golovkin in their trilogy battle in Las Vegas in
September, having ripped the IBF crown from Caleb Plant in
Sin City in November 2021 with an 11th round stoppage.
The Mexican superstar will make an emotional return to his
homeland for his latest Cinco de Mayo showdown, and it will
be 4180 days since he last stepped through the ropes in
Mexico, when he stopped Kermit Cintron in Mexico City in
five rounds to defend his WBO World Light-Middleweight
title.
The 32 year old four-weight World Champion fights for the
63rd time of his storied career as he closes in on 18 years
as a pro. Cinco de Mayo weekend will see him fight for the
35th time in his homeland and it promises to be a
spectacular occasion with the state of Jalisco marking 200
years of independence.
Canelo left his San Diego base at the weekend to complete
camp in Guadalajara, and Matchroom and DAZN shot with the 32
year old in one of his final sessions in the States before
he flew to Mexico.
“I don’t watch a lot of my opponents, but I’ve seen
highlights of Ryder,” said Canelo. “I had my eighth sparring
session yesterday and I did good, I feel good, and I can
throw my left hand good. That’s made me feel confident that
I am 100 per cent.
“I don’t think so far ahead, there’s a lot of fights for me
to come. Every fight is dangerous, I’m training 100 per cent
for Ryder and I will be ready.”
Ryder (32-5 18 KOs) is preparing for the fight of his life
in Tony Sims’ gym in Essex, England, and will be looking to
spoil the party, as the popular Londoner travels to Mexico
for the biggest fight of his 12-year career. ‘The Gorilla’
landed the WBO interim title in his last fight when Zach
Parker retired on his stool after four rounds of their clash
in London, England in November.
That win for the 34 year old followed a career-best victory
earlier in 2022 over former Middleweight ruler and old
Canelo foe Daniel Jacobs, with Ryder having also tackled
three other Britons who have taken on the Mexican king,
challenging Callum Smith for the Super-Middleweight World
crown after fights with Billy Joe Saunders and Rocky
Fielding.
Ryder will head to Las Vegas on April 20 to complete his
camp before going to Guadalajara and getting ready for a hot
reception as he takes on a national icon.
“I said I was happy to do the fight at the Azteca Stadium in
front of 100,000 so I think I kind of called it on happening
in Mexico!” said Ryder. “There’s going to be over 50,000 in
Guadalajara and I just can’t wait.
“Everyone was really welcoming there for the press
conference but I’m sure that will change in a month’s time,
and it’ll be hostile on fight night, but it was great to
come face-to-face with him there and in San Diego.
“I’ve had my ups and downs in my career, taken my knocks,
and I’ve come back. I think this fight has come at the right
time, I am at my best physically and mentally that I’ve ever
been, and I am really looking forward to it.
“Canelo is still up there as one of the best pound-for-pound
and the best of our generation. He’s so dangerous and the
best of him could still be to come.”
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