“This is a moment that will be forever engrained in the history of boxing and Mexican sport, Canelo Alvarez defending his undisputed championship in his hometown in front of 50,000 fans will be an incredible sight and a night we will never forget. In John Ryder, you have a mandatory challenger that has paid his dues and off the back of big wins against Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker is ready for the ultimate challenge. See you May 6 in Guadalajara for something very special, live on DAZN.”, said Eddie Hearn on the fruiting night.
Canelo's last fight saw him defeat Gennadiy Golovkin in their trilogy battle in Las Vegas to defend his undisputed crown for the first time, and he followed this up with a stoppage win over Caleb Plant in November 2021. The upcoming fight against Ryder will be the second time Canelo defends his crown.
The Mexican superstar expressed his happiness at returning to the ring and fighting in his hometown following his surgery. Canelo will be fighting for the 35th time in his homeland on Cinco de Mayo weekend, and the event promises to be a spectacular occasion, with the state of Jalisco marking 200 years of independence.
“I feel really happy to be coming back in May because following my surgery, I was unsure of when I'd be coming back. Returning to the ring and coming back to fight in Jalisco, where I'm from, makes me especially happy. And in John Ryder, I'm facing a very competitive fighter.” - Canelo Alvarez
Meanwhile, WBO mandatory challenger John Ryder will be looking to spoil Canelo's party and become a world champion in the biggest fight of his 12-year career. Ryder, who won the WBO interim title in his last fight against Zach Parker in November, is determined to bring the belts back with him to the UK.
"There’s no denying that Canelo is one of the greats and I’ve got a lot of respect for what he’s achieved in the sport but I fully believe this is my time fulfil my dream of becoming a World champion. I’m not going over there for a holiday. For me this is purely business and my full focus is on going into his backyard in Guadalajara on May 6 and bringing those belts back with me to the UK. I want to thank the team, Tony and Charlie Sims and Matchroom Boxing for making this happen.” - John Ryder
Canelo and Ryder's clash is highly anticipated, with both fighters having impressive records and recent victories. The fight also marks a historic moment for boxing and Mexican sports, and fans around the world are eagerly anticipating the event. The fight will be especially exciting for fans of IBF boxing, as Canelo ripped the IBF crown from Caleb Plant in his last fight.