Oscar De La Hoya believes Canelo Alvarez is 'regressing' ahead of return against John Ryder

Oscar De La Hoya feels that Canelo Alvarez is regressing ahead of his return. 'Golden Boy' represented the Mexican superstar for years and helped propel him to matchups with names such as Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley, and more. However, things are no longer great between the two icons.

In 2020, the super-middleweight champion was released from Golden Boy Promotions over a breach of contract. Since then, Alvarez has decided to focus on short-term deals, jumping from promoter to promoter. Currently, he's signed with Eddie Hearn's Matchroom Boxing.

Furthermore, Canelo Alvarez's next fight was recently announced. The unified titleholder will face John Ryder in Mexico in May. The bout will be Alvarez's first in his home country in over a decade, making this matchup an important one.

Heading into the fight, 'The Gorilla' is a massive betting underdog, with many fans doubting the Brit's chances. Oscar De La Hoya would be in agreement with that idea. In a recent interview with Fight Hub TV, the former champion previewed the matchup.

There, De La Hoya seemed to indicate that the 32-year-old champion was starting to slow down. However, he doesn't think it'll matter, stating:

"I'm not sure exactly what direction he wants to go. It seems like he's regressing inside the ring, he's regressing in terms of opponents. He's fighting all these British fighters and it does nothing to his legacy… He has to step up and fight tough opposition."

See his comments in the video below:

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John Ryder fires back at critics of Canelo Alvarez fight

Oscar De La Hoya is far from the first to criticize Canelo Alvarez's next fight.

However, John Ryder doesn't really care. 'The Gorilla' is coming off a stoppage win over Zach Parker last November, claiming WBO interim super-middleweight gold in the process.

Thanks to that stoppage victory, the Brit will now receive an unlikely clash with the Mexican superstar. In a recent interview uploaded to Matchroom Boxing's YouTube channel, Ryder previewed his clash with Canelo Alvarez. There, he hit back at critics who stated the champion should've fought someone else. He stated:

“It seemed like a lifetime away months and years ago. But I’m finally here now and I feel like I really do deserve to be here. I’ve paid my dues in this sport and I’ve earned this shot three times over for me. So, yeah, I feel like I really deserve to be here and deserve this shot.”

See his comments in the video below: