Canelo Alvarez’s future is becoming clearer with each passing day.
Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn has stated that the undisputed super middleweight champion Alvarez is “very likely” to next face John Ryder in May in either the United States, United Kingdom, or Mexico, and that discussions have already begun for the potential fight with Alvarez manager and trainer Eddy Reynoso.
Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) is currently recovering from left wrist surgery. Last month, Alvarez said therapy was going well and that he wanted a “tune up fight” before facing Dmitry Bivol in a September 2023 rematch with hopes of avenging his second career defeat.
Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) is a British-based boxer who’s enjoyed a bounceback year in 2022, beating Daniel Jacobs via split decision in February and Zach Parker via fifth-round TKO in November.
By beating Parker – who was forced to retire in the fight due to a broken right hand – Ryder claimed the interim WBO super middleweight title and became the WBO mandatory challenger for Alvarez’s title.
The 34-year-old Ryder has lost to the likes of Callum Smith, Rocky Fielding, and Billy Joe Saunders – opponents Alvarez has beaten.
“Thankfully, the opportunity arose for John Ryder. He’s had a great year,” said Hearn, who promotes Ryder. “If Canelo Alvarez is looking for that interim WBO fight, I’d love to bring Canelo Alvarez to the UK. It would be huge for British boxing. I think he’d love it as well, and I think John Ryder is deserving of that opportunity after the year he’s had and the wins he’s had. So hopefully, we can make that happen.
“Emirates is a fantastic stadium [for Canelo vs. Ryder]. Wembley, of course, is the home of the big fights. Any big stadium and the British fight fans would love to see Canelo Alvarez in the UK. We could do something really special.
This could be our chance to bring Canelo to the UK. It would be unbelievable. We’ll see if we can get it over the line.”
Reynoso is open to the matchup.
“Ryder is coming off a good streak and has had some good fights. We’ll be ready for that fight,” Reynoso told iD Boxing. “It’s an interesting fight, a guy that comes forward and is aggressive. He’s been winning a lot of fights, and it’ll be an interesting fight.”
Ryder is looking forward to the opportunity for fight Alvarez as well.
“It would be massive. He’s a global superstar, and to get him to my hometown would be amazing,” Ryder told iD Boxing. “I’d go to Guadalajara or Acapulco to fight him. Yeah, if it could be made, I’d fight him wherever. To be a potential world champion, but that obviously comes with it. It’s one of those things. If Canelo vacates, I’ll be a world champion, but I don’t want to be a world champion by being upgraded. I want to fight him. I want to fight a good champion and go out and make a statement and get all the marbles.” (BoxingScene)