Boxing fans have branded John Ryder a "tough motherf***er" after watching him go the distance with Canelo Alvarez in front of 50,000 raucous Mexican fans.
The British fighter, who was a massive underdog heading into the bout, lost via unanimous decision at the end of 12 rounds, but won plenty of hearts and minds with a spirited display.
Alvarez, 32, dominated the contest and dropped Ryder, 34, in round five, but the Londoner fought back and held his own right until the last, despite breaking his nose in the second.
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After the fight, fans leaped onto social media to praise Ryder, with one user tweeting: "Give John Ryder credit. He’s a tough motherf***er. Was badly hurt in round 5 and made it all the way to a decision. Those Brits are always tough as nails."
Another commented: "John Ryder was what I thought he was, a tough Old School fighter that would have been tough in any era," while a third said: "Massive cahones from John Ryder to see it out. Big respect for him. He's one heck of a fighter."
What did you make of Ryder's performance? Let us know in the comments section below.
"The way he bounced back in round 9 after getting seriously hurt was so impressive. Dude took a beating and kept pushing for a W," a fourth fan added.
Speaking after the bout, a deflated Ryder said: "I've dared to do and I've come up short. The overriding thing is I'm gutted."
Alvarez, meanwhile, labelled Ryder "a strong fighter" and said he "wasn't surprised" by how resilient he was, while boxing promoter Eddie Hearn added: "John showed he was a world-class fighter but Canelo is one of the best ever. John deserves massive respect tonight."
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