John Ryder looks to upset Canelo Alvarez fight in latter's backyard
John Ryder walks into the lion's den against Canelo Alvarez in May.
'The Gorilla' has been out of action since his clash against Zach Parker in November. Heading into the matchup, Ryder was riding a three-fight losing streak, having upset Daniel Jacobs in the biggest victory of his career that February.
The two Brits collided in an unexpected WBO interim super-middleweight title fight last year. In that outing, it was Ryder who prevailed by stoppage, claiming the interim title. In the process, the newly crowned champion entered the Canelo Alvarez sweepstakes.
While many expected the Mexican champion to rematch Dmitry Bivol upon his return, that wouldn't be the case. ESPN confirmed earlier this week that Alvarez would be facing Ryder, likely in Mexico.
Canelo Alvarez and John Ryder are in the process of finalizing a deal for an undisputed super middleweight championship fight on May 6, sources told @MikeCoppinger.
The site has yet to be finalized, but the bout is expected to land in Jalisco, Mexico. https://t.co/wkv2zH1TNQ
While many would be a bit overwhelmed by the situation, John Ryder is not. Instead, the interim champion is welcoming the chance to upset Canelo Alvarez in his home country.
In a recent interview with Boxing Social, he previewed his return. Ryder stated:
"It's what dreams are made of, you know what I mean? You want to fight the champion, and you want to fight him in his backyard. I've earned a shot and I deserve it, so I'm going to take it with both hands... It just shows that hard work pays off."
Watch his comments in the video below:
Eddie Hearn reveals Canelo Alvarez to take pay cut
Eddie Hearn has revealed that Canelo Alvarez's return will come at a price.
Since the Mexican superstar's victory over Gennadiy Golovkin last September, it's been rumored that he will fight in the U.K. next. For his part, Alvarez and Hearn have already confirmed that his return could land in the country.
However, the idea appears to have been dropped in favor of Canelo Alvarez returning to his home country in May. Not only that, but the bout with John Ryder could even land in the champion's hometown of Guadalajara.
While the champion's return home will likely excite fans, it will come at a price with Alvarez. In an interview with BoxingScene, Eddie Hearn revealed:
“It’s not done yet but Ryder in May is the plan. He’s coming back from the injury and Ryder’s the first mandatory that he’s got at 68. Ryder is interim. He’s happy for that fight so now it’s just where? It will probably be USA or Mexico I think Canelo would like to do a fight in Mexico but it’s a pay cut. We are thinking somewhere in Guadalajara but it’s still a big difference when you look at the gates.”