"Magic" Matt Hatton offers advice to John Ryder
Former European welterweight champion Matthew Hatton provided fellow Brit John Ryder with three key pieces of advice for his megafight with Mexican megastar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez this weekend on May 6 at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara.
Islington's Ryder challenges the pound for pound great for his undisputed super-middleweight crown on Cinco de Mayo in what is a homecoming fight for the four-weight world champion after over a decade away fighting abroad.
The 41-year-old from Manchester was the first of seven British fighters to ever face Canelo in the ring, back in 2011, for the WBC World super-welterweight title in California. Hatton went the full 12-round distance with Canelo, but lost every round of the fight. However, the experience was invaluable, showing real grit and determination throughout the one-sided contest.
With 36 minutes of ringtime against the Mexican, Matt was in a good position to tell BBC Sport what he believes Ryder should do when he enters into enemy territory this Saturday night.
Matt Hatton:
1. "One thing I identified with Canelo, he never had the fastest feet, so footwork is going to be very important for John Ryder. I know it's not necessarily his game, John ryder, he likes to stand and fight but I would definitely try to use the feet a little bit more against Canelo, that would be my first tip."
2. "Second tip is not to let ego get in the way, don't get involved in a fight with Canelo, try to use your boxing brains, don't let the macho man take over, try and be smart in there and pick your moments when to box and when to fight."
3. "My third tip would be to take at least two paracetomal with you. I boxed him a good few years ago and I'm still on two a day now, so make sure you pack some of them!"
The Unlucky Seven
Seven British fighters have challenged Canelo over the past 12 years and none have been successful. Ryder will be No.8 but, as it stands, history dictates that Mexico prevails in battles over Britain.
Below are the unlucky seven not fortunate enough to conquer Canelo:
Canelo vs Matthew Hatton March 5, 2011
The first of multiple world titles across four weight classes arrived in 2011, when the rising star of Mexican boxing tangled with an opponent with name recognition. Matthew Hatton had experience of big U.S. fight nights, having featured on his brother Ricky’s Las Vegas undercards.
An accomplished operator and a reigning European welterweight champion at the time, the younger Hatton lacked the world-class abilities to make the step up to a 150 lbs catchweight effectively and Canelo waltzed off with the vacant WBC super welterweight title. The only blemish on a shutout on the cards was Alvarez being deducted a point for hitting on the break in round seven.
Canelo vs Ryan Rhodes June 18, 2011
In a quick turnaround after the Hatton win, Canelo faced what many viewed as a step up. Unlike his countryman, Rhodes was a natural light middleweight and enjoying a 10-fight winning streak going back five years.
As such, the gulf in class offered arguably the first reliable glimpse towards Canelo’s incredible potential. He was a beat ahead of Rhdoes throughout, landing fizzing combinations to body and head before referee Hector Afu stepped in with a couple of minutes remaining in the final round
Canelo vs Amir Khan May 7, 2016
A bout that continued Canelo’s controversial penchant for catchweights at this stage of his career, Khan — whose most successful period came as a unified world champion at super lightweight — was an opponent with obvious box office appeal. The fight was made at 155lbs, 1lb above the super welterweight limit, for the WBC middleweight championship.
Khan's quicksilver speed saw him bank a few rounds early on but, in the sixth, the inevitable happened as Canelo uncorked a hellacious overhand right to lay his opponent out on the canvas. Over the course of his career, Khan had never had the most reliable chin. Up in weight against an elite fighter, he never stood a chance after being on the receiving end of such a shuddering blow.
Canelo vs Liam Smith September 17, 2016
As with Hatton and Rhodes, Canelo once again went back-to-back against Brits in 2016. His 50th professional fight drew its share of derision, given it featured the Mexican star going back down to super welterweight to tackle WBO champion Smith when a blockbuster showdown with Gennadiy Golovkin awaited at middleweight.
The fight itself at AT&T Stadium was a quality encounter, with Canelo cut in round two. His clinical body assault conclusively ended the argument, with Smith dropped in rounds seven and eight before an end came in the next session via a monstrous left hook downstairs.
Canelo vs Rocky Fielding December 15, 2018
On the other side of a defining 12 months that featured his seismic first two meetings with Golovkin and a doping ban, Canelo stepped up to super middleweight to take on Smith’s fellow Liverpudlian Rocky Fielding for the "regular" WBA title. In a further link to the Smith family, Fielding’s only previous venture to face a similar calibre of opponent ended in a first-round knockout defeat to Callum Smith.
A similarly one-sided encounter ensued, with the overmatched Fielding unable to make his size advantage count in the slightest as he was decked four times in three rounds at a sold-out Madison Square Garden.
Canelo vs Callum Smith December 19, 2020
In his previous five encounters with British fighters, Canelo entered the ring somewhere between a heavy and an overwhelming favourite. His bout with Callum Smith came with genuine jeopardy and intrigue. A rangy knockout puncher in possession of an unbeaten record and the WBC and WBA titles at 168lbs, he promised to be one of Alvarez’s toughest tests to date.
In reality, Canelo proceeded to thoroughly dominate the action, battering Smith to head and body. An arm injury sustained during the fight and years of boiling his 6ft 3ins frame down to 12 stone took a toll on Smith but those elements should not take much away from a performance that ranks among Canelo’s finest. His total domination earned him 11 of the 12 rounds on two of the judges’ cards, with Smith earning the relative satisfaction of hearing the final bell at the end of a thankless task.
Canelo vs Billy Joe Saunders May 8, 2021
After beating Smith and enjoying a three-round blowout against Anvi Yildirim, Canelo had his eyes on undisputed status at super middleweight. The next step was Billy Joe Saunders, another undefeated Briton but a very different stylistic proposition to his compatriot. Saunders lacked Smith’s concussive power but he was a masterful boxer, adept at frustrating his opponents in the ring after getting into their heads outside it.
On the back of some typically crass pre-fight histrionics, Saunders enjoyed some success and the fight was up for grabs after halfway. But in round eight, Canelo launched a terrifying assault, breaking Saunders’ right orbital bone with a sledgehammer right. The visiting fighter stayed upright but was battered around the ring for the final minute of the session, with a raucous AT&T Stadium crowd roaring their heroic matador on against a badly wounded bull. Saunders did not rise from his stool for round nine, with his experience on a partisan Canelo evening a possible foreshadowing of some of the pain that might await Ryder on the biggest night of his career.
Canelo vs Ryder one-minute fight previewCanelo vs Ryder in-depth fight preview
Article sponsored by HÖRFA
