John Ryder warns Crawford

John Ryder knows firsthand how dangerous Saul “Canelo” Alvarez can be once he lures an opponent into his rhythm. The Englishman, who went the distance with Canelo in Guadalajara in 2023, believes Terence Crawford must avoid falling into the same trap when they meet Saturday night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Ryder, who was dropped and fought with a broken nose in that bruising battle, described Canelo’s knack for creating a false sense of security. “The first round, he’s just gonna have a look. He’s gonna throw out a few jabs and I was thinking, ‘Oh, I slipped that… it’s not as hard as I thought it would be.’ But he’s getting all that data from you, assessing how you react. That’s when he adjusts and makes you pay,” Ryder recalled.

Watch Embedded: Episode 3: Watch

While many in the boxing world see Crawford’s speed, switch-hitting and tactical versatility as the keys to emulating Dmitry Bivol’s blueprint for beating Canelo, Ryder remains cautious. “I feel it’s 50-50. Crawford’s unbelievable, but the sheer size and strength of Canelo could wear him down,” he said.

Ryder warned that even if Alvarez has slowed with age, his accuracy and power remain punishing. “He might not have the speed he once had, but he’s still sharp enough to hurt you,” Ryder said. “I went to catch his hook and bring the uppercut through, and he broke my nose and changed the fight in the second round.”