Eddie Hearn reveals who Canelo Alvarez will face in his May return

According to Eddie Hearn, Canelo Alvarez will likely face John Ryder in his May return.

The Mexican superstar has been out of the ring since his decision win over Gennadiy Golovkin in September. While the victory ended his rivalry with 'GGG' on a high note, he didn't make it through the bout unscathed.

Following the event, the super middleweight champion stated that his hand was injured and that he would need surgery. Alvarez stated that he likely won't return for a year, but that timeline has sped up dramatically.

Over the past month, Eddie Hearn, Alvarez's promoter, revealed that the surgery went well. Furthermore, he expects the champion to return in May, far quicker than anyone expected. For his part, Alvarez later confirmed that he would return in May.

Now, the head of Matchroom Boxing has revealed who his fighter will likely face next. In an interview with The DAZN Boxing Show, Eddie Hearn revealed that John Ryder will likely face Canelo Alvarez next. 'The Gorilla' is riding a four-fight winning streak.

Discussing his plans, the boxing promoter stated:

“Thankfully, the opportunity arose for John Ryder. He’s had a great year. If Canelo Alvarez is looking for that interim WBO fight, I’d love to bring Canelo Alvarez to the UK. It would be huge for British boxing. I think he’d love it as well, and I think John Ryder is deserving of that opportunity after the year he’s had and the wins he’s had."

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Who is Canelo Alvarez's next opponent, John Ryder?

Canelo Alvarez's next opponent, John Ryder, is little more than a tune-up fight.

When the Mexican superstar last discussed his return, he voiced his desire for a rematch with Dmitry Bivol. They first faced off in May, with the Russian winning by a lopsided decision.

However, the bout is unlikely to occur next, as Bivol has shown interest in facing Artur Beterbiev next. With that, Alvarez and Hearn have zeroed in on John Ryder as his next opponent. While a fun matchup, 'The Gorilla' likely won't offer much of a challenge.

The Brit has had some solid victories in his career and is riding a four-fight winning streak as of now. However, Ryder has also been defeated by several of Alvarez's previous opponents. He was previously defeated by Callum Smith and Rocky Fielding, who were both easily defeated by the Mexican superstar.