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John Ryder will wake up this morning in Guadalajara, Mexico, just four days shy of the biggest opportunity of his boxing career. The 34-year-old Englishman has been paid for punching for the last 13 years and is now facing the biggest challenge of his life. His opponent? Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez, who has been the biggest commodity in boxing for nearly a decade.
Ryder has spent most of his career working the smaller rooms across the United Kingdom, with the exception of higher-profile matches at the Copper Box Arena and the Echo Arena in Liverpool. In those three matches, he fought for regional titles against Billy Joe Saunders, Rocky Fielding, and Callum Smith, losing two competitive decisions and a wider verdict in his first career grab for a world championship.
Ryder's three opponents, Saunders, Fielding, and Smith, have all fought and lost to Alvarez, two by KO and the third by a wide decision. Ryder's chances of winning are slim, with an 8-to-1 underdog status, but he remains determined and focused.
Ryder returned from a 13-month hiatus after losing to Smith and scored consecutive wins over Mike Guy and Jozef Jurko. He then opened 2022 with a split 12-round decision over ex-middleweight claimant and former Alvarez challenger Daniel Jacobs.
The win over previously unbeaten Zach Parker nine months later gave Ryder the WBO's interim title and put him in line for Alvarez, who was looking for a foe to appear opposite him when he returned to action with his first fight in Mexico in more than a decade.
Ryder is not in Mexico for a holiday and wouldn't bring his team with him if he didn't believe he could win. He has worked hard to get back into this mandatory position and took the right fights at the right times. Ryder is determined to leave no stone unturned and believes he can come away victorious.
In conclusion, Ryder is facing the biggest challenge of his career against Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez. Although the odds are against him, Ryder is determined to give it his all and come out on top. His hard work and dedication have brought him to this point, and he's ready to leave no stone unturned in his quest for victory. It'll be interesting to see how the fight plays out and whether Ryder can pull off the upset of the year.