Dmitry Bivol's shadow looms over Canelo vs Ryder.

 

Saul Alvarez raised his left arm half-heartedly, sweat dripping down his daughter Emily's ink portrait. In anticipation, he chewed his tongue. The eyes, on the other hand, rarely deceive. Their vacant stares and wandering gazes revealed the truth that "Canelo" already knew: he had been beaten.

It wasn't the first time, and there have been times in his long and increasingly illustrious career when the Mexican knew the same thing but was still named the winner. Hearing another man's name echo around an arena at the end of 12 rounds - or any number of rounds - is still unusual for Canelo. And there would be no reprieve for the undisputed super-middleweight champion on this Cinco de Mayo weekend in 2022. Dmitry Bivol, eyes gleaming, punched his right fist into the air, triumphant "by unanimous decision, still undefeated, and still the WBA light-heavyweight champion of the world."

Canelo was tasked with rebuilding for the first time since his 2013 loss to Floyd Mayweather, his only other defeat in his professional career. That rebuild is still going on, and it will continue on Saturday, 364 days after Canelo's loss to Bivol, when he returns home to face John Ryder.

Canelo's title defense against Ryder in Guadalajara marks the 32-year-old's first fight on home soil in 12 years and his second fight since losing to Bivol. In September, Alvarez successfully defended his super-middleweight title against an aged Gennady Golovkin, completing their trilogy. Their saga began with a draw that belittled "GGG" in 2017, and it continued almost a year later when Canelo was a disputed decision winner. For all of Golovkin's attributes and accolades, this was a predictable result in a trilogy bout that came three years too late - for the Kazakh, for the sport, and arguably for Canelo, who gained little in victory.

However, rather than a rematch with Bivol, which would have resulted in Canelo's second consecutive defeat, the rematch with Golovkin was a wise decision. For the Mexicans, it was a low-risk, high-reward situation.

What about the main event on Saturday at the Estadio Akron, where 50,000 fans will gather to watch and worship their idol? Southpaw Ryder, who holds the WBO interim title, will be a tough test for Canelo, but as a close-range fighter facing boxing's toughest and most clinical counter-puncher, the Londoner could be the ideal opponent for a star in need of a stoppage victory. Caleb Plant was the last man to find himself staring down at the canvas and then up at the lights in a duel with Canelo in November 2021. Canelo is due for another demolition after his loss to Bivol and uninspiring win over Golovkin following his trademark victory, and the Akron crowd will demand it.

If Alvarez agrees, his next move should be self-explanatory.

While it was prudent for the 32-year-old to return to super-middleweight after failing to dethrone Bivol, the rematch is fast approaching and should not be delayed for any reason.

Some may suggest a light-heavyweight warm-up fight for Canelo, but that would have been an option in September, or even this weekend. Alvarez, who previously fought in the weight class in 2019 and easily defeated Sergey Kovalev, chose this year to regain confidence and some momentum at his preferred weight. Nonetheless, he has insisted that any rematch with Bivol be at light-heavy weight.

"Can you imagine how people would react if Canelo made Bivol drain to 168lbs and beat him?" Mexican promoter Eddie Hearn asked iFL TV this week. "What do you think they'd say?" 'Oh, he couldn't beat him at 175 pounds, so he forced him down to 168 pounds.' 'Same terms as last time,' Canelo says. You beat me, and I need everything to be the same to prove I didn't lose that night and that I can beat you.' That's exactly what he's thinking."

Regardless of the time, location, or weight class, a rematch with Bivol may play out the same way as their first fight, with an unblinking Bivol trapping Canelo against the ropes, overwhelming the shorter fighter with extended output, and refusing to engage on Alvarez's terms.

That fight awaits, but 364 days after Canelo vs. Bivol, Alvarez will hope for a completely different experience when he faces Ryder. The 34-year-old Briton is a worthy opponent, but he will be dismissed by Canelo's casual and devoted fans alike.