Promoter Eddie Hearn, in an interview with BoxingScene, said that the next fight Saul Alvarez may take place in his native Mexico on May 6, possibly against John Ryder, and according to Hearn, the undisputed super middleweight champion chooses to box in Mexico for the first time in over 11 years.
Hearn discussed the next fight for Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KOs) ahead of a press conference at Madison Square Garden for the Amanda Serrano-Eric Cruz Matchroom Boxing Party on Saturday at the Hulu Theatre.
"Canelo really wants to fight in Mexico," Hearn said. “Again, every time you take this step, you unfortunately have to take responsibility for making less money. But then again, he's fine. And he will still make a lot of money, and he is ready to fight in Mexico. I think he wants to give a good fight to people and Ryder might be the right match for that."
John Ryder (32-5, 18 KOs) won the interim WBO super-middleweight title in his last fight when he TKOed England's Zack Parker (22-1, 16 KOs) in the fifth round due to injury in November in London. By defeating Parker, the 34-year-old Ryder became the mandatory contender for one of Alvarez's four belts in the 76 kg weight category.
“I think the fight will be in the US or in Mexico,” Hearn added. “And I think it will be John Ryder. You know, he is a mandatory contender. This bout hasn't been confirmed yet, but I think this fight will be next."
Hearn added that Eddie Reynoso, Alvarez' coach and manager, is looking into the possibility of "three or four venues" in Mexico for the DAZN pay-per-view fight. If Alvarez's comeback doesn't take place in Mexico, it will most likely take place in Las Vegas, where 15 of Canelo's last 22 fights have taken place.
Alvarez, 32, has not fought in Mexico since November 2011, when he stopped former world welterweight champion Kermit Cintron in the fifth round at the legendary Monumental Plaza de Toros bullfighting arena in Mexico City.
In his last fight, the four-division champion won a unanimous decision victory over Gennady Golovkin. Alvarez underwent surgery to repair his injured left wrist weeks after defeating Golovkin (42-2-1, 37 KOs) in September in Las Vegas.
