The mountain between Islington and Guadalajara

By James Blears

After twelve long years away from his home turf, Saul “Canelo” is returning, to fight Englishman John “The Gorilla” Ryder at the Estadio Akron, Zapopan, Guadalajara, defending his undisputed Super Middleweight titles.

Canelo could have been even more handsomely rewarded if he`d defended his laurels in the USA, especially ensconced in the global fight capital of Las Vegas. But at long last, he wanted to come home to give his legion of loyal fans a special and unforgettable treat, with all the force he can muster and then inflict. The return of the prodigal fillip!

The boxer chosen to line up against Canelo and weather this brewing firestorm which will then erupt, is John Ryder, a southpaw from Islington, London, who´s the WBO Interim champion. No complaints from John, who says he´s been cordially and respectfully received plus greeted in Guadalajara, and he`ll earn well. But come fight night he`s going to be facing a cocophony din. Phil Spector best coined it with his: “Wall of Sound.” There will be a singer and a mariachi band, for an overture that the Londoner has never experienced in all his born days.  Wonder if he could bring Kenny Ball Jr and his Jazzmen to musically ginger things up, via the bold as brass section?

John earned his opportunity of a lifetime, by defeating Danny Jacobs by a split decision and then Zach Parker for the WBO Interim title. Parker wasn´t able to continue after four rounds due to a hand injury. John`s record has some similarities with that of Canelo. Both defeated Jacobs. But John lost decisions to Billy Joe Saunders, Callum Smith and Rocky Fielding. Canelo fractured southpaw Billy Joe`s right orbital bone to make him retire on the stool at the end of round eight. It required surgery. His punches detached Callum`s left bicep, although the Scouser courageously went the full twelve rounds.  Not so with Rocky Fielding, who Canelo ruthlessly took out with a third round TKO. John turned pro in 2010. His record is 32-5, 18 KO`s. He`s thirty four years old. He has fought two hundred and thirty three rounds.

Canelo is two years younger. His record is 58-2-2, 39 KO`s. He turned pro aged just fifteen in 2005. He`s won world titles at super-welterweight, middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight. He`s fought four hundred and sixty rounds. Canelo who`s far too professional to be overlooking John Ryder, is non the less hankering for a return fight against Dmitry Bivol, who defeated him at Light heavyweight. My feeling is that Canelo is stretching it at that weight division. But at super-middleweight he`s bristling and bursting with power. It`s a forbidding and daunting prospect.

Both Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol who are the only two to have defeated Canelo, used exceptional strategy, guile and excellent defensive skills, as well as well- judged and aptly timed attacks plus counter-attacks.  John Ryder is a close range fighter who likes to stay within the pocket. This style is tailor made for Canelo`s heavy punching. It suits Canelo rather well and he`ll let rip, sooner than later, especially in front of his own people.

John has had time to prepare very well, and he´s no mug. He points out that Canelo had problems against Bivol, didn`t shine against GGG in their third encounter although he won, and has undergone surgery to rectify an injury to his left wrist. But… John will never before have experienced this type of firepower and sheer intensity. He`ll be well and truly under the cosh! Undaunted and so far unabashed, he`s delighted to be fighting the best and he says he`s going all out to make a memorable impression. But let`s be honest…he`s really up against it!

Canelo´s first defense after winning the vacant WBC super-welterweight by outpointing brave but outgunned, outsized  Matthew Hatton, was against another Brit, Ryan Rhodes. It was in the Arena VFG, Tlajomulco de Zuniga just outside Guadalajara.  Down in the fourth, Ryan got up and bravely fought on. But was TKO´d by the youthful Canelo in the twelfth and final round. Afterwards, I distinctly remember Ryan lamenting how blisteringly hot it had been in his changing room and how he wished he`d brought an electric fan to keep him cool during a scorching June day. John would do well to take note of that!

I keep remembering another long ago fight night, almost thirty years ago, which bears some comparison. It was when Julio Cesar Chavez demolished audacious and loquacious Greg Haugen in five painful rounds. The similarity is that like Greg, John will be walking into the lion`s den. On that fabled February night in 1992 at the Azteca Stadium, one hundred and thirty six thousand fans were roaring for Julio to seek and destroy, in guided missile fashion. After the Mexican National Anthem concluded, the ground literally shook with the cheering and applause. Then the outright onslaught started.

In the Akron Stadium, on Cinco de Mayo weekend, fifty thousand hometown fans rooting for their local hero Canelo will be make their presence deafeningly felt. John will appreciate that one way or the other!

Greg used up an awful lot of energy, singing along with Bruce Springstein`s Born in the USA. It didn`t endear him to the Mexican crowd, who were already on his case, because he snapped that Julio had only fought Tijuana taxi drivers who: “My Mum could whip.” After Referee Arthur Mercante saved him the in fifth, he later graciously, depreciatingly, ruefully and apologetically conceded through bruised lips that: “They must have been very tough taxi drivers!” Hats off to him for finally playing: “Fare.”

No such personalized animosity between Canelo and John. Curt courtesies and Canelo has welcomed the Brit in polite, formal but unsmiling fashion, in the tacit and tactile understanding that all is fair in love and war. His people love him, he`s determined not to let them down…so it WILL be war!

John is from Islington which is North London, so he may not be fully familiar with the Cockney Rhyming Slang from the East End. In this upcoming fight, the fight of his life, he`d do well to protect his Vera Lynn, which means his chin.  Avoid damage to his mince pies-eyes. And watch out for getting biffed on his nose, or it might end up like a blind cobbler`s thumb.