I did not order the fight last night but have scoured the highlights and post fight press. John Ryder heard the final bell in Mexico and gave it his all. Ryder fought through a broken nose and was bleeding profusely from the third round on. A snapping right cross led to a delayed reaction knockdown, and the sixth round saw back and forth fireworks. I think Ryder was sold well short by boxing fans on social media, and his grit and determination saw him through the adversity tonight.
On my sites homepage, I have paid homage to Chuck Wepner and Randall “Tex” Cobb for their tremendous heart. Last night, Ryder embodied that spirit in taking Alvarez to the distance. All major outlets predicted early stoppages, but the tough UK challenger pressed on all night. Every moment after the knockdown where the fight looked over, Ryder came punching back. Alvarez dug his left hook to Ryders body and shot the right hand down the middle. Ryder had success with a sneaky left uppercut and the right hook to the body.
In the post fight press conference, Ryder took a dig at Alvarez, saying he is over the hill and tried his hardest for the KO but could not get it. Alvarez has called out Dmitry Bivol for a rematch at 175 lbs. while Bivol wants to come down to 168 lbs. David Benavidez may have to wait a little bit longer to get his shot.
Jersey George's Boxing Blog 