Heavyweight boxing

JOHN RYDER will complete a remarkable journey from working as a bouncer to challenging for Canelo Alvarez’s world titles. Ryder fights for boxing’s biggest crown on Saturday night in Guadalajara, in what marks Canelo’s Mexican homecoming.
Boxer John Ryder once worked as a bouncerCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
John Ryder ahead of his fight with Canelo AlvarezCredit: Getty
Canelo Alvarez, promoter Eddie Hearn and Canelo AlvarezCredit: Getty
The British outsider fights for the undisputed WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO super-middleweight titles in front of 50,000 at the Estadio Akron stadium.
It comes after a career resurgence – with eight wins in his last nine – earning a mandatory shot at Canelo’s title.
But at one point, following defeats to Jack Arnfield and Rocky Fielding at domestic level, Londoner Ryder considered his boxing career.
So much so that in 2017 he got a doorman’s license and worked at a nightclub in East London.
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Ryder, 34, told ESPN: “There were some dark times when I thought that this might be it.
“I think I had that dogged determination in me to carry on, and I believe I can do good things in this sport.
“I think the proof is in the pudding, I have done, and I was right to continue.
“My sponsor sorted me out a doorman’s licence and I was doing quite a bit of that on the doors with a few friends.
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“That was nice, and it was more the social aspect of it. Boxing is so closed off; you work so hard in the gym, so to work on the door every now and again was quite a nice break.
“It was long hours, not ideal for boxing, but the odd Friday night here and there was good fun.”
The club was around the corner from ex-middleweight champion Darren Barker’s 12×3 gym.
So Ryder would train before heading to his shift but fortunately ran into no trouble during his time on the doors.
He said: “There were no hotheads – they were all cool, calm and collected.
“You had your talkers on the door who could calm down situations. I was never at the forefront getting stuck in. I just kept the peace.”
By 2019, Ryder was boxing full-time and made his Las Vegas debut, stopping Bilal Akkawy in three rounds.
Boxing is so closed off; you work so hard in the gym, so to work on the door every now and again was quite a nice break. John Ryder on working as a bouncer
The same year, he lost a controversial decision to Callum Smith for the WBC title, in a bout many believed he won.
Ryder, who is a 10-1 shot to win on Saturday, recalled: “2019 was a great year for me; I got to box in Vegas then I had the Smith fight.
“People see it as a bad thing [losing by a disputed decision to Smith], but I got a lot of credit from it. I still think I should have won.
“I had a lot of momentum, and momentum is what I thrive on. I was all set for a big 2020, looking to get off to a flier, and then COVID hit.
“There were big fights planned for 2021. It was a nightmare two years.”
Ryder bounced back from defeat to Smith with four wins in a row, most recently beating Zach Parker, 28, in November.
It earned him the WBO interim title and guaranteed shot at Canelo’s unified belts.
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Ryder becomes the first man to fight Canelo in Mexico in 12 years and has the chance to shock the world.
He said: “It feels like a coming-out party after 12 years in the game.”
John Ryder training for his fight with Canelo AlvarezCredit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom
Trainer Tony Sims and John RyderCredit: Melina Pizano/Matchroom More

ANTHONY JOSHUA could return in the summer in a warm-up fight to prepare for Deontay Wilder in December. Joshua beat Jermaine Franklin in his April comeback in what Eddie Hearn hoped would be the first in a trio bouts in 2023.
Anthony Joshua could return in a warm-up fight to prepare for Deontay WilderCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Deontay Wilder is in talks to fight Anthony Joshua in Saudi ArabiaCredit: AP
But that plan faced the KO when organisers in Saudi Arabia launched negotiations for AJ to face Wilder in December.
Hearn flew into Riyadh for talks and revealed all parties are on board for the blockbuster bout.
But with Joshua, 33, having fought just once under his trainer Derrick James, the promoter wants to give the pair more opportunity to gel.
So AJ could take an interim fight before his end of year clash with Wilder in the Middle East.
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Hearn told Boxing Social: “We’re being told that Wilder’s in.
“And, subject to finalising some of the terms, we’re in. So, in his mind, he’s fighting Deontay Wilder in December.
“Once that gets papered, we then work backwards to the end of July or first week of August.
“I want him to fight. I think he wants to fight. I think Derrick James wants him to fight.
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“So we’ve just to pick the right opponent, because what it is is really a preparation for the [Wilder] fight.”

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Joshua was in line to rematch Dillian Whyte, 34, in July but talks with Wilder, 37, could see the all-British bout axed.
It remains to be seen if AJ will in fact box once more before the Saudi showdown as Hearn focuses on talks in the desert.
He said: “My priority right now is secure the Deontay Wilder fight, and every other decision will stem off that.”
Anthony Joshua with promoter Eddie HearnCredit: Rex More

JOHN FURY has slammed his son Tyson’s team and claims that they are “all just after their ten per cent”.The Gypsy King, who holds the WBC title, was set to unify the division in a showdown with fellow champ Oleksandr Usyk before talks fell through.
John Fury has delivered another blast at his son Tyson’s teamCredit: Getty
SugarHill Steward (L) has trained the champion for his past few fightsCredit: Getty
Fury Sr placed the blame for that on the boxers’ respective teams, especially his boy’s trainer SugarHill Steward, and urged Tyson to SACK “Judas” for “denying him like Judas denied Jesus”.
Now, John has claimed he is the only one that tells his son the truth about his career.
He said: “Tyson likes different people around him telling him how great he is.
“I’ll tell them straight, if it’s not working I’ll say it’s not working.
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“In Tyson’s case, he don’t like the truth, but I’m going to tell him it anyway because he’s my son and it’s on his best interests.
“All the SugarHills, everybody out there, they’re all 10 per cent men.
“They’re all after the 10 per cent. It’s a business, you can’t blame them. They’re thinking of their own ends and making a living.
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“But it’s up to you to have enough brains to see through that. You don’t move them out of their job. Don’t make a friend out of them, or get close to them.”
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He added on Stamina For Sale: “They’re not going to tell you the truth are they? Frightened of getting sacked.
“There’s many times [Tyson’s] looked rough in the gym and I’ve said that’s not too good today, mate. ‘What do you mean?’ I say ‘I’ve told you, need to improve.’
“But they don’t listen to their dad, do they? Nobody does.”
Fury Jr looks set to return to the ring in London in July but has not yet agreed his next fight. More

ANTHONY JOSHUA’s long-awaited showdown with Deontay Wilder could be finalised in as little as two weeks.Talks for the former unified and WBC heavyweight champions, 33 and 37 respectively, to finally throw down began last month.
Anthony Joshua is on course for a huge dust-up with Deontay WilderCredit: RICHARD PELHAM
The pair’s long-awaited grudge match is in the works for DecemberCredit: GETTY
Eddie Hearn has revealed the fight could be finalised within the next two weeksCredit: REX
AJ promoter Eddie Hearn flew to Saudi last week to get the wheels in motion for a December dust-up – which would be part of a four-man tournament involving Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk.
And the Matchroom Boxing chief believes the next fortnight will be pivotal in finalising the grudge match.
The 43-year-old told Matchroom’s YouTube channel: “We know, having worked with them before, that we can get a deal done.
“And really, that’s what we’re looking to do this week and next week.
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“Just look at that situation and decide if theres a fight – which will now be early August – for Anthony Joshua. If he does fight before then.
“I would like him to, I think Derrick James would and I think AJ would. But we’ll have to see how those talks evolve with Deontay Wilder.
“We just made for clear to them. Our message was, ‘AJ is ready for all of those fights and is happy to agree to a Deontay Wilder fight in December.’
“And we’ll see if we can close terms in the next couple of weeks.”
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Hearn is optimistic his long-running relationship with the Saudis will bear fruit and one of the biggest fights in the recent history of the sport will come to fruition.
He said: “We got a great relationship with Prince Khalid and Skills Challenge.
“We’re the only ones to have done two big two boxing events, if you like, with Joshua-Ruiz and Joshua-Usyk.
“We’ll see [what happens]. They want to make that night, they want to do Joshua against Wilder and Fury against Usyk.
“I think, from conversations, that the Usyk conversations, that the Wilder conversations have gone very well. For us, we’re in.
“We need to finalise terms, but we just said to Prince Khalid, ‘That’s the fight we want.'”
Joshua was last in action last month, turning in a less-than-spectacular performance in his return to the win column against American Jermaine Franklin at The O2.
Wilder, meanwhile, hasn’t set foot inside the ring since his vicious one-punch knockout of former sparring partner Robert Helenius last October.
Anthony Joshua returned to the win column last month against Jermaine FranklinCredit: RICHARD PELHAM More

DEONTAY WILDER has broken his silence after police reportedly found a gun and drugs in his luxury Rolls Royce.The LAPD allegedly found the firearm in the former WBC heavyweight champion’s luxury ride after pulling him over on Tuesday morning.
Deontay Wilder was arrested for illegal possession of a firearm on Tuesday morningCredit: EPA
The Bronze Bomber broke his silence on his arrest on TwitterCredit: TWITTER
According to TMZ, cops pulled over the Bronze Bomber for having an obstructed license plate and “illegally tinted windows”.
After smelling marijuana coming from the vehicle, the police searched it and discovered a 9mm pistol in his possession.
Wilder, 37, was taken into custody but posted bond and was subsequently released five hours later.
And the hard-hitting heavyweight has addressed his arrest in a short and sweet tweet.
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The Alabama slammer tweeted: “I’d rather be safe than sorry. The End.”
Vicious knockout artist Wilder is currently on course for an eagerly-anticipated showdown with long-time rival Anthony Joshua.
The fight is currently in the works for December – with Saudi Arabia expected to host the dust-up.
Former unified heavyweight champion Joshua said of Wilder: “He is good, I respect him, I don’t undermine him. That will make me raise my game.
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“I respect what he has done and what he has done in this division.
“It is hard to become a champion and he did it so I have to respect that.
“It’s going to be a tough fight but I am confident in myself. I’m a better, more well-rounded athlete, a better, more well-rounded fighter.
“In terms of it getting delivered [from my side], I honestly believe it is 95 per cent there.”
Wilder hasn’t set foot inside the ring since his brutal one-punch knockout of former sparring partner Robert Helenius last October.
That stoppage of the Nordic Nightmare saw him bounce back to winning ways following consecutive stoppage losses to Tyson Fury.
The American heavyweight spent part of Tuesday morning behind barsCredit: Instagram / @bronzebomber
Deontay Wilder is on course for a grudge match with Anthony JoshuaCredit: RICHARD PELHAM More