The anticipated matchup of Saul Alvarez versus John Ryder will be on Sunday, May 7, with the former slated to win the bout due to many reasons, which we will break down in this article.
Their match will happen at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. Guadalajara is Alvarez’s hometown, and the match versus Ryder will be his first home fight in 12 years.
Many boxing analysts believe Canelo will dominate Ryder, especially with The Gorilla having only 37 fights compared to his opponent’s 62 professional fights.
However, one dreaded stance of many boxers when facing opponents is the southpaw. It is a stance where boxers lean forward using their right foot and use their right to throw jabs.
It is a challenging way of boxing, especially with most fighters being orthodox or right-handed boxers.
Ryder is a Southpaw fighter, and in his 37 fights, he knocked out 18 of them. But his record is not unblemished, especially after suffering five defeats in total, including a knockout.
Meanwhile, Canelo’s knockout power is far greater than his opponent’s 48.65%, which is at 62.9%. Of his 58 wins, 39 were via KOs, all while suffering two losses and two draws.
The reigning IBF, WBA, WBC, and WBO champion has a 62.9% knockout percentage. This is why he is the favorite among sportsbooks with 1.05 odds at OkBet, unlike Ryder’s 9.00.
Can Alvarez Knockout Ryder?
Truth be told, Alvarez has had some trouble dealing with Southpaw fighters like Ryder. It can be recalled that his 2014 bout against Erislandy Lara reached a split decision.
In most of his fights and wins, Alvarez faced right-handed opponents. Which is why Ryder believes he has a chance at snagging the belt from Canelo.
He even recalled that Lara was a problematic fighter for the champion, and he was only lucky to win by split decision.
However, Canelo insisted that he has improved since the fight with Lara and has no problems dealing with Southpaw fighters.
The fight against Ryder will also be his first since his left hand has been surgically repaired. The injury was even before his loss to Dmitri Bivol last May 2022.
But…
Regardless, it will not affect his movements, although it is hard to gauge if his left hand is as powerful as before. Canelo’s style remains the same—a counter-puncher with smart and creative combinations.
He still has his arsenal of feints and weaves that confuses and disarrays opponents before receiving a decisive blow to the head or the body.
His footwork is impeccable, and he can dance around any attacks being thrown at him, particularly using his patented slip-and-roll movement.
Who will win in the Alvarez versus Ryder matchup?
Alvarez has a reach of 70.5 inches for a 5-foot-8 boxer, while Ryder is standing at 5-foot-9 with a reach of 72 inches. Canelo’s favorite lean-back defense could be ineffective against his much taller opponent.
But in all fairness, Ryder’s knockout power says much about how heavy he hits. He only recorded a technical knockout in his last four fights when he fought Josef Jurko in 2021. His bouts last year were against Daniel Jacobs and Zach Parker, which were won by split decision and stoppage.
Meanwhile, Alvarez’s last four fights were 3-1, with his loss via Bivol in a unanimous decision.
Overall, the Alvarez versus Ryder match will favor the former, especially since he will fight in a home crowd. In contrast, the latter will feel pressure as he faces an intelligent boxer in hostile territory.
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