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GUADALAJARA. — Home favourite Saul “Canelo’’ Alvarez beat Britain’s John Ryder in front of 50 000 raucous Mexican boxing fans on a historic night in Guadalajara on Saturday.
The Mexican champion defended his undisputed super-middleweight crown on points despite a spirited display by Ryder at Estadio Akron.
Alvarez, 32, dominated the fight and dropped Ryder in round five, but the Londoner fought back well.
Two judges scored the bout 118-109 and the other 120-107 to Alvarez.
The four-weight world champion won his 59th fight since turning professional, with two losses and two draws.
“I’m happy with the fight. I won and I’m happy people had a great fight,” Alvarez told DAZN. “He’s a strong fighter. I knew that; I’m not surprised about it.”
Ryder said: “I’ve dared to do it and I’ve come up short. The overriding thing is I’m gutted.”
Promoter Eddie Hearn told BBC Radio 5 Live: “John showed he was a world-class fighter but Canelo is one of the best ever. John deserves massive respect tonight.”
The fight was Ryder’s sixth loss in 38 bouts and he has now twice failed at world title level, after being defeated by Briton Callum Smith for the WBA ‘Super’ title in 2019.
In a fight billed as the “King is coming home’’, Alvarez extended his reign as the ruler of super-middleweight division.
After eight months out of the ring following surgery on his left hand, there were no signs of any effects of Alvarez’s injury as he landed two thudding left hooks to Ryder’s body in the opening round.
Ryder’s task got all the more harder after Alvarez busted the challenger’s nose two rounds later, leaving him with a bloodied face which would hinder him for the remainder of the contest.
He is a bullish boxer who vowed to take the fight to Alvarez, but he was forced on the back foot with Alvarez dictating the pace and stalking Ryder around the ring early on.
The crowd erupted in round five as Alvarez floored Ryder with a sensational left-right combination. Ryder staggered backwards before falling to the canvas. He got up at the count of eight but, with his legs still wobbled, did well to survive the round.
Ryder earned a lucrative, life-changing shot at Alvarez by becoming WBO mandatory and winning the interim title. But he was at times fighting on instinct. Whatever Ryder threw, Alvarez would hardly flinch. — BBC Sport.
Online Reporter