By Sean Jones: John Ryder says he may retire if he loses to undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez next month in their fight on May 6th at the Estadio Akron in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Ryder will be turning 35 years old in July, and he’s not a spring chicken any longer. If he loses to Canelo, this is probably the last chance he’ll get to fight for another world title before he ages out and is too old to work his way back into another mandatory spot.
With the millions that Ryder is expected to make from the Canelo fight, he can afford to retire and live a comfortable lifestyle without the need to slave away at a 9-5 job like most people. Retiring at 35 would be a dream for most people, so Ryder wouldn’t have it bad.
The 13-year pro Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) will base his decision depending on how he gets beaten by the superstar Canelo (58-2-2, 39 KOs). If he’s competitive, it would be a reason to continue.
Canelo’s poor stamina and his low punch output give Ryder an excellent shot at not only being competitive but also winning.
With that said, it’s unlikely that Ryder will be given a decision against Canelo, considering the fight’s location and that he’s fighting a superstar who has had a handful of controversial wins during his career against notable fighters.
“Yeah potentially it all depends on the manner that you lose,” John Ryder told Mirror Fighting about his fight next month against undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez on May 6th.
“If you go in there and have a close fight, then there will be big nights out there for you. Is it worth your time, is it worth your body, and is it worth the sacrifices?” said Ryder.
It will be understandable if Ryder chooses to pack it in if he loses the fight because even under ideal circumstances, it’ll take him years to get another title shot.
Look at David Benavidez as an example. He’s been the WBC mandatory for two years, and he’s still waiting for his title shot against Canelo.
Working his way to another mandatory spot will probably take two to three years for Ryder. If Canelo chooses to ignore him, as he’s doing with Benavidez, he’ll never get a second crack against the Mexican star.
“Becoming undisputed champion would be unbelievable,” said Ryder. “It would be beyond my wildest dreams; I don’t think I ever dreamed of becoming undisputed and having all the marbles.
“It will be a great story if I can pull it off. I don’t intend to go over to Mexico and lose. I have got something he hasn’t really seen before, and I have planned and trained with my all to come away victorious on May 6.”