"The Guardian: John Ryder says the Canelo rematch will be even bigger than fighting in Mexico"

The British boxer, John Ryder, will face Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez on his home turf, making him a huge underdog in the eyes of many. Despite this, Ryder promises to give the crowd a fight to remember, drawing on his boyhood dream of being a firefighter to fight the blazing inferno that could engulf him. Canelo, the flame-haired Mexican boxing legend, is the most popular fighter in the world and this defence of his undisputed world super-middleweight title is his first bout in his home country since November 2011.

The city of Guadalajara, located 20 miles from where the boxer grew up in Juanacatlán, has been in a fever all week in anticipation of the fight. Ryder, on the other hand, grew up on Upper Street in Islington, which will seem a long way away when he faces the might and fury of Canelo in front of a fiery crowd of 48,000 at the Estadio Akron.

Ryder is known for his amiable personality in the hard-bitten fight business, but even he admits to feeling nervous before big fights. Despite boxing for 12-and-a-half years and having 37 bouts under his belt, he has developed ways to stop his boxing dreams turning into nightmares, including visualisation and mental preparation. Ryder has even visited the arena in Guadalajara, seen the venue and the changing rooms, and has been taking himself there every night in his mind to prepare himself for the big fight.

There is no doubt that Canelo is the favourite with bookmakers, being considered by many as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. However, after suffering his second defeat against Dmitry Bivol last year, some of his lustre was lost. Ryder acknowledges that Canelo is determined to atone for this, but wonders if he might be on the wrong side of the boxing hill. Regardless, Ryder is preparing for the best Canelo and wants him to be at his best, but is aware that Canelo's great year in 2021 may have taken a toll on him.

When comparing their records, Ryder may have five losses, but he also believes he was harshly judged in some of those fights. He even thinks he beat Callum Smith when all three judges awarded the Liverpool fighter the decision in 2019. Ryder boxed Rocky Fielding in 2017 and feels he was harshly judged again in Liverpool. Despite this, Ryder promises to give Canelo a good fight and is excited for the biggest night of his career so far.

In 2013, Ryder faced Billy Joe Saunders in his first ever 12-round fight, and while he learned valuable lessons, Saunders did not. However, in May 2021, Saunders suffered a shattered orbital bone during his fight against Canelo, leaving him unable to box again. Ryder clearly recognizes the danger Canelo poses, admitting he has many strengths and few weaknesses. Despite this, he believes that the pressure is on Canelo in this fight due to his homecoming and trying year.

While Ryder recognizes the challenge of facing a fired-up Canelo, he draws strength from his biggest fan, his partner Nancy. Together for 16 years and having witnessed his entire career, she embodies the confidence Ryder needs to go into this fight. Even their eight-year-old daughter, Heidi, is excited by the prospect, while their son, Brody, is still too young to understand.

With about 50 supporters traveling with him, including Arsenal fans, Geordies, Sunderland and Newcastle supporters, and Welsh lads, Ryder aims to shock the world by claiming all the major world title belts held by Canelo. While he allows himself to dream, he knows the importance of focusing on the task at hand, lest he lose his focus. Yet, a win would secure him a rematch in September, something that he welcomes after the initial fight, regardless of the location.

As an Arsenal fan, Ryder understands the need to jump on the bandwagon of their recent success, imagining a double win celebration on Upper Street, should both he and his team emerge victorious. Regardless of the outcome, Ryder remains optimistic, drawing inspiration from those who support him in his corner.

It seems cruel to say how unlikely both outcomes appear and so, instead, I ask Ryder why he is called The Gorilla. He smiles. “It comes from Robert McCracken [the GB Olympic team coach who has also trained Anthony Joshua for years] many moons ago. I was sparring with a few of his pros, like Lee Meager and Dave Walker. I’m not going to do the [Birmingham] accent because I’ll butcher it. But he said: ‘You’re like a baby gorilla.’ It slowly went from Baby Gorilla to Gorilla and it’s just stuck.”

The aspiring firefighter turned Gorilla is so likable that even the vociferous Mexican fans appreciated him when he visited Guadalajara in March to announce the fight. “It was very friendly and lighthearted and the Mexican media and the Mexican people were very welcoming and warm,” Ryder says.

“I do expect that to change as the fight nears and I’m sure it will be a lot more hostile and not so nice. But the thing with Mexican fans is that as long as you give them what they want to see, and make a real fight of it, they’ll be pretty satisfied. I will make sure they get that.”