Matchroom kingpin Eddie Hearn has boldly claimed Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez will fight in “one of the most special” atmospheres ever seen in boxing.
Alvarez (58-2-2, 39 KO) puts his status as the undisputed super middleweight champion on the line when he takes on British star John Ryder (32-5, 18KO) in Guadalajara, Mexico on Sunday (AEST).
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The fight marks the first time Alvarez has fought in his home nation since November 2011 and Mexican fans are expected to turn up in droves at the Estadio Akron for the occasion.
Hearn noted the buzz among the 73,126 fans who packed into the AT&T Stadium in 2021 to watch Alvarez beat Billy Joe Saunders will be tough to top, but if there’s any event that could, it’s Alvarez’s homecoming bout.
And Hearn simply cannot wait for the party that awaits in Mexico.
“I think, and I’ve said it before, I think you may see one of the best atmospheres you’ve ever seen in boxing,” Hearn said.
“I mean, Dallas Cowboys, 74,000, Billy Joe Saunders, that’s gonna be tough to break.
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“But this is different. This is home. This is his people. And the atmosphere they will create on Saturday night will be one of the most special you’ve ever seen in boxing.”
Alvarez enters the bout as a heavy favourite among the boxing community and bookmakers worldwide.
But Ryder, the mandatory challenger to Alvarez’s WBO belt, has “left no stone unturned” in his quest to shock the sporting world on Sunday.
“This is a great opportunity for me, many times in my career this looked like a name in the distance but it is finally upon us and I don’t want to waste this opportunity,” Ryder said.
“I appreciate the level of the task at hand for me but I have left no stone unturned in this camp and the aim is still to come away victorious this Saturday.
“We’ve prepared meticulously, we know what Saul brings to the table and we have got the best of sparring, the best of training, best of strength and conditioning, best of cardio, best of everything.
“We are preparing for the best fighter in the world.”