Bivol showed blueprint to beating Canelo says John Ryder

By Boxing News - 12/26/2022 - Comments

By Dan Ambrose: John ‘The Gorilla’ Ryder says Dmitry Bivol created the blueprint to defeat Canelo Alvarez by fighting on the outside, getting in & out without getting nailed by his big shots.

Surprisingly, Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) says he won’t attempt to follow the unbeaten Bivol’s blueprint against Canelo (58-2-2, 39 KOs), even though it was hugely successful.

Ryder, 34, says his path to victory will be conducted by inside war, as he notes that the 33-year-old Canelo hasn’t faced anyone in his career that has attempted to battle him on the inside.

Canelo hasn’t declared that he’ll be fighting the British contender Ryder next May, but his promoter Eddie Hearn seems pretty sure he will go that route.

The British fans will love that Canelo is fighting one of their own, while Americans will be put off by the choice, as the Mexican star has been padding his record for the last four years against UK opposition while swerving the talents stateside.

That fight won’t interest American boxing fans, but at this point in Canelo’s career, he’s beyond caring. He’s looked appalling in his last two fights against Gennadiy Golovkin and Bivol and no longer seems capable of beating top rung-opposition. Even the timeworn 40-year-old Golovkin came close to beating Canelo.

It would seem clear that Canelo no longer trusts himself enough to fight someone that the U.S. boxing fans would prefer that he face like David Benavidez,  Jermall Charlo, and David Morrell.

What the May fight is all about is getting Canelo a guaranteed victory with the least amount of effort to set him up for his rematch with Bivol next May.

“I think Bivol showed it [the blueprint on how to beat Canelo] by fighting on the outside to close the gap, get in & get out and cover yourself,” said John Ryder to Secondsout when asked how to defeat Canelo Alvarez.

“Yeah, not to get ahead of yourselves. He’s a great fighter, but like I said, he’s not been on the best of form lately. Not that I’ll be fighting a weak man because he’s far from that, but who knows if his best days are behind him?

“So it’s all to be seen, and I’m than happy to be the man to see if he is,” said Ryder about his hopes to be the one that gets the fight with Canelo next May.

“At midrange, Canelo is devastating. His timing, his accuracy was top-notch. I’m going to try something different. I’m going to try boxing him up close where he’s not had it so much,” Ryder continued.

“People have seen him fight at a distance. I think that’s what he likes. It’s playing into his hands and his comfort zone. I think playing to his own game.

“Sensible footwork and not getting caught and not getting caught midrange on the way in and way out with those big overhand rights and lefts and big bolo to the body. He throws a lot going into it.

“If you can get him missing, it’ll take a little more out of him. He’s guilty of doing what he has to do. A lot of these good fighters are. They know when they’re winning rounds. They know when they need to up it a bit.

“You saw Arthur Abraham for years box the first 30 seconds and the last 30 seconds and win rounds massively. There are ways of doing it and knowing what the judges want.

“I don’t think he’s lazy,” Ryder said about Canelo. “I think he’s old in the tooth and knows what to do to get through now.

“Taking the foot off the gas at times, knowing when to rest, and knowing what’s important to train at times. Obviously, you can’t be pedal to the medal throughout camps all the time. Just know when to listen to the body and take a few days rest, recoup and then go again.

“I suppose you would in the rematch,” Ryder said when asked what would top a victory over Canelo next May on Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend.