Canelo Alvarez doesn’t give the fans what they want but he still takes a step forward.
The undisputed 168-pound champion knocked down rival John Ryder but he was unable to knock out the bloody but resilient Brit, he instead decided to win the match decisively. returned home on Saturday near Guadalajara, Mexico.
The official scores are 120-107, 118-109 and 118-109. Boxing Junkie scored 117-110 for Alvarez, nine innings to three.
CANELO ALVAREZ WINS JOHN RYDER IN MEXICO! 🇲🇽#CaneloRyder pic.twitter.com/2hmWcj2B8Z
– DAZN boxing (@DAZNBoxing) May 7, 2023
“He’s a strong fighter, man,” Alvarez said of Ryder. “When they come to things, they get tougher. I have been in this position for a long time. I never underestimate an opponent because I know they will come for anything.
“… He is a strong warrior. I know that. I’m not surprised.”
Alvarez (59-2-2, 39 KOs) competed in his hometown for the first time since 2011, which he admitted later put more pressure on his shoulders.
He is also due to have surgery late last year to repair his injured left wrist, although he believes it has fully healed after throwing it – especially at the body – in the first few innings of the match. on Saturday.
Yet once again he proved that even a good, tough boxer like Ryder can hardly give Alvarez a real challenge.
Alvarez started pressuring Ryder early in the match and never cooled down, slamming his opponent’s body with his left hand and in the head with his right hand while Ryder tried to match his output and didn’t get hit by any. What a big bomb.
Of course, that’s almost impossible, as we learned in Round 5. Alvarez took out Ryder and probably broke his nose in Round 5 with a perfect left-right combination. During the count, it’s unclear if the stunned, bloody Ryder was able to get up but he did.
And he pulled out the rest of the round, clearly showing that he has no intention of giving up any time in the fight.
Ryder actually had some good innings after that. He largely matches Alvarez’s working speed and dodges more damage, although the fact that he can never hurt a champion makes his quest impossible. exam.
Then came another difficult moment in Round 9. Alvarez hit Ryder in the head with his right hand followed by a series of punches that caused referee Michael Griffin to consider stopping the match.
Yet again, the hardened Londoners survived and then went on to fight back with incredible determination.
Alvarez tried one more time to get the job done in 12lame pants and the final round, when at one point he smashed his gloves together to try to put Ryder in a final gunfight but the final bell rang with the challenger standing on his feet ta.
If the champion is frustrated by not being able to eliminate Ryder, he will hide it very well. He said simply, “I’m satisfied with the fight.”
He is delighted to be able to perform in front of his 50,000 passionate fans at the Estadio Akron, a stadium commonly used for professional football teams in the region.
“This is a historic moment for me,” he said. “I am fortunate to be here with my people. As I have always said, the people who supported me from the beginning. I’m happy to be here. I am very grateful to my people.”
More history may lie ahead.
Alvarez is just two games away from one of the most disappointing nights of his career, a decisive loss to 175-pound champion Dmitry Bivol last May.
He has made it clear that he wants a chance to avenge the defeat in September. However, he and the Russian star will have to discuss some details. Bivol wants to lose weight and fight for the undisputed 168-pound championship while Alvarez wants to rematch at 175 so he can reverse the previous results.
Alvarez can finally go his way with his influence.
“Everybody knows I want a rematch with Bivol,” he said. “If the Bivol war doesn’t happen, we’ll see. I’m happy to fight anyone. I want the same rules, the same terms, the same everything [for a second fight with Bivol].”
He was asked, “Why?”
“I just wanted it to be that way.”
