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BOXING

Canelo Álvarez, close to fighting in Guadalajara after 12 years

Canelo Álvarez is close to returning to his hometown to fight. The boxer from Guadalajara is scheduled to appear at the Jalisco Stadium on May 6.

César Huerta
César Huerta
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Canelo Álvarez apoyó a Patrick Mahomes y los Chiefs en el Super Bowl LVII

The last time he stepped on native soil to get into a ring, Canelo Álvarez was a young man of barely 20 years of age. He had just been proclaimed world champion for the first time in his career and defended that title at the VFG Arena, then owned by Vicente Fernández. Now, the boxer from Jalisco is very close to finalizing his return to Guadalajara.

According to sources involved in the negotiations, only a few details are missing to finalize his next fight at the Monumental Estadio Jalisco, home of soccer teams Atlas in the First Division and of the Black Lions in the Expansion League. The fight is scheduled for May 6 and would be against John Ryder from Britain in a fight required by the World Boxing Council.

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A big venue for a big fight

In days gone by, it was rumored that the Akron Stadium, home of Chivas, could be the scene where Álvarez would once again fight in front of his people. However, the negotiations seem to have favored a venue that has a greater capacity and that also offers lower-cost rent for the boxing evening.

Weeks ago, the governor of the state of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro, said in a press conference that the possibility of seeing Álvarez fight in the land where he was born was very close. Authorities would even provide support so that the event can be carried out in Guadalajara.

Soccer schedule

One of the issues that have been most insistently addressed in the negotiations, according to close sources, is the eventual participation of Atlas in the playoffs of the 2023 Closing Tournament of Liga MX. In the event that the Zorros qualify and they were to host the match at home, it would have to be played on Sunday, May 7, so it would be a gigantic task to get the Jalisco Stadium ready for the soccer match only one day after the bout.

Venues such as the Estadio 3 de marzo and even the Plaza de Toros Nuevo Progreso were also considered, but as they were arenas with much smaller capacity, they were ruled out. The cost of organizing a function in which Canelo participates requires high ticket sales, something that could be achieved at the Jalisco Stadium.

Full circle

Álvarez has not fought in Jalisco since 2011. On March 5 of that year, Canelo defeated Matthew Hatton by unanimous decision and was proclaimed Super Welterweight world champion for the first time. Months later, on June 18, he made the first defense of his crown and decided to do it on his land. The VFG Arena was the scene where he defeated Ryan Rhodes by technical KO in the twelfth round. Since then he has not fought in Guadalajara.