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A16 SPORTS
Wednesday 3 May 2023

Canelo Álvarez returning home to Guadalajara to fight Ryder

By CARLOS RODRIGUEZ The 35-year-old Ryder holds
Associated Press the interim World Boxing
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Fight- Organization super middle-
ing in his native Guadala- weight belt, which he won
jara for the first time in 12 in November by beating
years has presented some Zach Parker.
different challenges for “All of that is part of this.
Saúl Álvarez, like finding out There was always criticism
just how many tickets he in the past and there con-
needs to accommodate tinues to be criticism,” Álva-
family and friends. rez said. “It has always been
“Canelo” Álvarez is one a split between the ‘haters’
of the best boxers in the and those who support me,
world and he will return which fortunately there are
home on Saturday to face more.”
British rival John Ryder at After the Ryder fight, Ál-
the Akron Stadium in the varez will have a deci-
western Mexican city. He sion to make for his next
hasn’t fought in Guadala- fight, probably set for Sep-
jara since June 2011, when tember. Many fans and
he defeated British fighter commentators, including
Ryan Rhodes. Márquez, want him to fight
Back then, Álvarez’s career David Benavidez, but Álva-
was on the rise. In March of Saul “Canelo” Alvarez jumps rope during a training session at a gym in Guadalajara, Mexico, on rez will probably go for a re-
April 17, 2023.
that year, he won his first Associated Press match against Dmitry Bivol.
world title, the World Boxing Although his career polar-
Council welterweight belt. eryone wants to go. They’re fights at an altitude of only ber. izes opinions in his country
Now he comes home as all from here (Guadalaja- 19 meters.“It has been dif- “I feel very good, the prep- despite his achievements,
a more mature boxer who ra),” the 32-year-old Álva- ferent especially because aration has been excellent, Álvarez is revered by the
has already won world ti- rez said in an interview with of the altitude because we and I am now ready to majority in Guadalajara.
tles in four different weights The Associated Press. “It’s had to adapt to the rou- train at 100%. That makes “The phenomenon of
classes and was the unified complicated, but you try to tine in Guadalajara, but so me more motivated to train Canelo Álvarez is incred-
champion at three of those. do everything you can and far everything is going very hard in Guadalajara,” Ál- ible. I had never seen any-
That’s why it shouldn’t be have as many as you can.” well as always you have to varez said. thing like it, someone who
surprising that the bout at Álvarez has three brothers, try to do everything 100% Leading up to the fight, Ál- has so many detractors
the Akron Stadium sold all of them were fighters, despite the circumstanc- varez has also had to deal when all he does is get-
out in a matter of hours, and a sister. es,” Álvarez said. with criticism because he ting victory after victory,”
leaving “Canelo” with the In addition to the ticket re- One unknown ahead of chose to fight at home, in- said Mauricio Sulaiman, the
prospect of both preparing quests, Álvarez has had to Saturday’s fight is how well cluding a strong jibe from WBC president. “After los-
himself for the fight and at- adjust to Guadalajara’s alti- Álvarez will respond to the former world champion ing to (Floyd) Mayweather
tending to his family’s ticket tude of 1,566 meters above surgery on his left wrist that Juan Manuel Márquez, he could have fallen, but
requests. sea level as opposed to San he underwent after clos- who considers Ryder a he matured, he had the
“It’s crazy. It’s a difficult part, Diego, California, where he ing the trilogy against Gen- “regular fighter, from me- strength to come back and
let me tell you, because ev- usually prepares for other nady Golovkin last Septem- dium level to below.” conquer the world.”q

PSG suspends Messi for unapproved

trip to Saudi Arabia

By KEN MAGUIRE would mean Messi would delicate time as the French
AP Sports Writer miss PSG’s next two games. club hopes to extend the
Lionel Messi was suspend- L’Equipe and RMC Sport Argentine star’s contract
ed by Paris Saint-Germain both reported the suspen- beyond this season.
for taking a trip to Saudi sion without citing sources. Messi’s trip followed PSG’s
Arabia without the club’s The person told the AP that surprise 3-1 loss to Lorient
permission, a person with the World Cup champion on Sunday, leaving the de-
knowledge of the situation won’t be allowed to train fending champions with a
told The Associated Press or play with the team and five-point lead over Mar-
on Tuesday. won’t be paid during his seille with five games left in
The person would not spec- suspension. the season. Messi played PSG’s Lionel Messi, right, face Lorient’s Bamo Meite during
ify the length of the suspen- PSG had denied Messi’s re- the full game. the French League One soccer match between Paris Saint-
sion, though French media quest to make the trip, the L’Equipe had reported that Germain and Lorient, at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris,
reported it to be two weeks. person said. PSG coach Christophe Sunday, April 30, 2023.
The person spoke on condi- Messi has a commercial Galtier pledged to give his Associated Press
tion of anonymity because contract with Saudi Arabia players two days off Mon- and had Tuesday off. ago, and there has been
they were not authorized to to promote tourism in the day and Tuesday if they The forward joined PSG speculation about where
publicly discuss the matter. Middle Eastern country. beat Lorient. Instead, the from Barcelona two years he would play next.q
A two-week suspension The suspension comes at a team trained on Monday