Canelo Alvarez vs. John Ryder: The Brit is determined to win in the ‘backyard’ of Mexico

Britain’s John Ryder will challenge undisputed world super middleweight champion Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez for his titles in Mexico in May.

The 34-year-old Londoner meets superstar Canelo, two years his junior, in the biggest fight of his 12-year career on May 6 at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, in his home state of Jalisco.

Ryder, the mandatory World Boxing Organization challenger after winning the interim title in his last fight when Zach Parker retired after four rounds in November, is excited at the opportunity to go head-to-head with a four-weight world champion.

He said: “There’s no denying that Canelo is one of the all-time greats and I have a lot of respect for what he’s achieved in the sport, but I truly believe this is my time, my dream of becoming a world champion , to fulfill.

“I’m not going there on vacation. For me, this is just business and I am totally focused on going to his backyard in Guadalajara on May 6th and taking those belts back to the UK.”

Canelo, who will fight in Mexico for the first time in eleven and a half years, will defend his undisputed crown for the second time after defeating bitter rival Gennady Golovkin in their trilogy bout in Las Vegas in September.

The Mexican, who has lost just twice in 62 fights and successfully defended his 2016 WBC middleweight title with a brutal stoppage against Amir Khan, returns to fighting after wrist surgery in November.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to coming back in May because after my surgery I wasn’t sure when I was going to come back.

“Getting back in the ring and coming back to fight in Jalisco, where I’m from, makes me extra happy. And in John Ryder I’m up against a very competitive fighter.”