John Ryder branded Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez ‘past his best’ after lasting all 12 rounds against the undisputed super-middleweight champion.

Alvarez claimed a wide unanimous decision victory at the Estadio Akron but could not secure the stoppage he craved during his first outing back in Guadalajara since 2011.

That night he stopped Ryan Rhodes in the 12th round but, despite suffering a heavy knockdown in the fifth round, Ryder managed to make it to the final bell.

And the Londoner believes that is proof that 32-year-old Canelo, who has now had 63 professional fighters, is in decline.

Ryder said: “He was very good but I think he is past his best but he still had enough in his tank tonight.

“Why is he past his best? Because he couldn’t get me out of there. His plan was to stop me and he didn’t. I know I took a great shot in the fifth round but I came back swinging and had some good rounds after that.”

Ryder also revealed that his nose, which bled profusely for much of the fight, was broken as early as the second round.

He added: “I felt it go instantly, and the blood in the back of my throat. It threw me for a couple of rounds but it is what it is. It’s a new experience in the boxing ring and something I’ll learn from. I think it’s broken.

“If the nose didn’t go in the second round it probably would have been a different fight.”

Despite the defeat, Ryder earned a lot of respect due to the gutsy nature of his performance but he says that response does little to ease the pain of his sixth career defeat.

He said: “Coming away with a win is the ultimate goal, going the distance isn't. I made a fight of it for a while but on the scorecards it wasn’t that close. Moral victory? Maybe, yeah. But I came here with a dream and I didn’t achieve it.

“I’m just gutted. I’ve put so much into the sport over the last few years and haven’t always got the rub of the green. I came here with a dream but I fell short - that’s boxing. I won’t be the first and I won’t be the last.

“I’ll have a nice rest now with the family, sit down with the team and see where we go from there.”