Akron Stadium, the venue in Zapopan where Canelo Álvarez will fight John Ryder

Mexico’s biggest fight of the year, Canelo Alvarez vs. John Ryder, is approaching soon, with the P4P star seeking to defend his super middleweight belts.

The bout between the Mexican and British will tee off on Saturday, May 6, and will be held at Estadio Akron in Zapopan, Jalisco, even though the UK was considered the initial option to stage the fight last year with the Middle East and the US also considered.

This marks the first time Canelo takes a pay cut to fight in his native Mexico in over a decade.

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What to know about Akron Stadium?

Due to its modern and inventive design, the stadium in Jalisco serves as an architectural benchmark in Mexico. The expansive arena has 49,850 seats covered by a glossy white, asymmetrical, curved roof derived from exterior grass walls.

Construction on the Akron Stadium formally began in May 2007, when Club Deportivo Guadalajara announced it intended to build its own stadium in 2004. A few years later, in July 2010, a dinner was held at the venue to celebrate the newly finished arena ahead of its first soccer match that would be held at the stadium the following night on July 30— Sacred Flock vs. Manchester United.

This match wasn’t only a celebration of the new stadium, but also to honor soccer player Javier Hernández, who transferred from Sacred Heart to Manchester United.

The first major international event for the stadium was held on August 11, 2010, to host the first leg of the Copa Libertadores Finals took place. The year after, in 2011, the stadium hosted the 2011 Pan American Games opening and closing ceremonies and the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico. The stadium also co-hosted the 2020 World Cup.

For many Mexican people, Estadio Akron is a venue that holds the pride of its people for hosting some great events like the Mexican national football team being awarded the Gold Medal after beating Argentina.