Who is John Ryder?

John “The Gorilla” Ryder has enjoyed an impressive career amassing a record of 32-5 with 18 wins by knockout from 37 professional contests. Ryder is set to take on the biggest test of his career – as he travels to Mexico, where he will fight on May 6 against the undisputed 168 lb champion, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. As we build up to “Canelo’s” big homecoming at Big Fight Weekend, we wanted to introduce you to the real John Ryder.

Official: Canelo Alvarez vs. John Ryder May 6th in Jalisco, Mexico

Canelo’s first fight in Mexico since November 2011 pic.twitter.com/5RtDC3iGXA

— Dan Canobbio (@DanCanobbio) March 14, 2023

The Real John Ryder vs ‘Canelo’ Alvarez

Ryder and “Canelo” are set to face off on May 6 in Jalisco, Mexico. These two fighters face different pressures going into the fight, with Alvarez fighting in Mexico for the first time in 12 years and Ryder having the pressure of going into the lion’s den to face the undisputed champion.

Also Read: Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez: ‘Every Fight Is Dangerous’

There is always a risk of a fighter underestimating the supposed underdog, however, one of “Canelo’s” strengths is his discipline. He prepares impeccably for every fight, regardless of who he is facing. Alvarez is a consummate professional, and his discipline is one of his biggest strengths. The Mexican superstar possesses incredible power in both hands, as proven with his 39 KO wins. Ryder will need to be effective and clinch where possible to negate the explosive power of Canelo. “The Gorilla” is a great pressure fighter, and he will need to keep this up for 12 rounds to cause “Canelo” problems. He is effective at getting close to opponents and is excellent at working the body, which Alvarez will have to overcome. The English fighter will need to be solid defensively to avoid the brilliant counterpunching of his Mexican opponent.

The History of  ‘The Gorilla’

The Islington-born southpaw is trained by Tony Sims who is one of the most respected coaches in boxing. He had a fairly short amateur career, which spanned only 35 fights. Despite the low amount of amateur contests, Ryder impressively won 30 of those.

Also Read: 5 Underrated Middleweights to Watch Out for in 2023

During his professional career, Ryder has experienced five defeats but only once since 2017, and that was a controversial points defeat to Callum Smith. “The Gorilla” inflicted a nasty cut on Smith and never stopped walking forward and being the aggressor. During the fight, Ryder got in close brilliantly to stop Smith from bossing the fight. A similar tactic will need to be adopted against “Canelo” to minimise his explosive power. Disappointing losses to Billy Joe Saunders, Nick Blackwell and Jack Arnfield saw the Englishman move to super-middleweight in 2016. The move up in weight has seen a resurgence in Ryder’s career, with vital wins over Zach Parker and the experienced American Daniel Jacobs.

The Future for John Ryder

Ryder goes into the “Canelo” clash on a massive high after the Jacobs and Parker wins. Despite that, many will not be giving “The Gorilla” a chance against a pound-for-pound great.

Also Read: Relive John Ryders Win Over Daniel Jacobs

He has hinted at retirement if he losses to Alvarez, however, a lot will seemingly depend on how Ryder performs. If his performance is high, there will surely be further big fights made available to him. If the defeat is brutal, in the vain of Amir Khan‘s defeat to Canelo, it could be tough for Ryder to continue. Whatever happens on May 6, the homecoming of Alvarez will be a memorable occasion, but Buster Douglas proved many years ago, anything is possible.