Canelo Alvarez Scores Dominant Easy Win In Mexico Return

It had been over 11 years since Canelo Alvarez fought a world title fight in his home country. And, even though he tried hard to get a knockout Saturday night in Guadalajara, he had to settle for a one-sided against tough Englishman John Ryder.

Allvarez successfully defended his undisputed super middleweight championships with a convincing whipping of the game Brit, 120 – 10 7 and 118 – 109 on the other two cards.

📝 120-107, 118-109, 118-109

AND STILL… Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion, @Canelo! 👑#CaneloRyder | @DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/OaF7hgglnI

— Matchroom Boxing (@MatchroomBoxing) May 7, 2023

Alvarez was the aggressor throughout the fight and right away did damage with a straight right hand that appeared to break Ryder’s nose in the third round. This, as he repeatedly bled profusely for the remainder of the fight. Canelo looked like he might be on his way to earning a stoppage when he scored a left jab followed by a straight right hand to the face of Rider that dropped him in round five.

Ryder remained on a knee and took the eight count, but then, not only survived the final minute and a half of the round, but actually scored a couple of good punches on his own.

However, too much of the fight was Canelo, now 59-2-2, scoring with lead right hands and lefts to the body. Ryder, now 34-6, was game and was fighting back at times, but he did not land significant punches throughout round after round.

In the end Alvarez was too talented and had the cheers of more than 50,000 fans in attendance in the Estadio Akron soccer stadium. According to Compubox stats Alvarez landed 179-459 punches for 39% connect rate. Meanwhile, Ryder was just 80/457, 17 %. In the power shots it was a 117-69 edge for the champ, echoing why he won so easily.

To his credit, Ryder wanted to finish the fight with an obviously busted nose bleeding badly round by round and could have given up. Alas, he was tough and did not. You can’t say much more for him, though, than that for Saturday’s performance.

Alvarez told DAZN in the ring afterwards,

“It’s a historic moment. I blessed to be here (in Mexico) with my people… I’m very thankful with my people.”

When asked about Ryder being tough? The champ agreed, “Yes. He’s a very strong fighter. When they (fighters challenging him) coming for everything, they turn it on. You saw that. I’m in this position a long time and I know. I respect my opponent.”

Canelo said he thought Ryder was hurt in the fifth, “Yeah. I think I got it, but he put that head in front and the elbows in front. And, I take care (defensively) a little bit. But, I’m happy with the fight. I worked and the people are happy.”

Canelo had fought 22 title bouts, since his last fight in his homeland in 2011, going 20-2 in those bouts.

The win Saturday for Alvarez follows up his September victory in a trilogy fight with Gennadiy Golovkin and now, sets him on course for a potential rematch with WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol. Bivol beat Alvarez for only his second career loss 12 months ago in a unanimous decision. And, Canelo has made it no secret that he wants to move back up to light heavyweight and try to write the wrong against the Russian.

What does the Mexican star have left? How much longer do we have before a Canelo retirement announcement?