The undisputed super middleweight championship bout between Canelo Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) and John Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) is scheduled to take place on May 6 of 2023, according to insiders who spoke to ESPN.
According to them, the venue hasn't been decided upon yet, but the fight is anticipated to take place in Jalisco, Mexico, giving boxing's top star his long-awaited homecoming fight.
Alvarez will enter the ring for the first time after having surgery on his left wrist in October 2022. Following Canelo's victory over Gennadiy Golovkin to end their trilogy in September, the treatment was carried out.
Alvarez's first defeat since being thrashed by Floyd Mayweather in 2013 came in a shock setback to Dmitry Bivol in May 2022 at 175 pounds due to injury. Currently, the 32-year-old boxer is ranked No. 5 pound for pound on ESPN.
In his second attempt at winning the world title, Ryder, a 34-year-old Londoner, will be a huge underdog. When he competed against Callum Smith in 2019 for his 168-pound championship, he lost in a contentious decision.
Ryder has won four in a row after the loss. In February and November of 2022, he defeated Zach Parker and Daniel Jacobs to earn his most recent two victories. Parker left his stool with a fractured hand in round 4 while the victory over Jacobs was a close call.
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