PHOENIX: Losing Saturday to Jaime Munguia "could be the end of the road" for John Ryder, according to Matchroom chairman and Ryder's representative Eddie Hearn.
Munguia looked sensational as he dropped Munguia four times en route to a ninth round knockout at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
In the build-up to the bout, Ryder told ProBox TV that he wanted to keep his career progressing by scoring a significant win over Munguia.
Should he lose, he said, "questions will start being asked" like: "Why do you go from here?"
After the fight, ProBox TV mentioned this comment to Hearn, and asked for his take as to where Ryder — a 35-year-old fighter who has been in the ring with Callum Smith, Daniel Jacobs, and Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez — should go from here.
"I think it's always difficult straight after a fight, but having reached the heights he's reached — particularly the Canelo Alvarez fight and the Munguia fight, I think there is a chance that could be the end of the road for him.
"We really thought he could win tonight, and he did, too," said Hearn.
According to Compubox data sent to ProBox TV, Munguia doubled Ryder's punches landed with 146 connected from 468 attempted, against 77 landed from 300 attempted for Ryder.
Munguia also dropped Ryder in rounds two, four, and then twice in round nine.
"The start was a bit of a nightmare, the fourth [round] wasn't really a knockdown but you had to score it a knockdown, and obviously two knockdowns in the first four rounds was very difficult for him," Hearn said.
"He got beaten by the younger, fresher man," he added.
While Ryder has "a decision to make, for sure," Hearn also praised Munguia who, despite advancing his pro record to 43-0, "doesn't have many prominent names" on his resume.
Hearn said: "He also started his career very young. [Zanfer Boxing CEO] Fernando [Beltran] has done a great job building him, and now [Golden Boy Promotions boss] Oscar [de la Hoya] as well.
"I think a stoppage victory over John Ryder is a standout victory. You saw the Canelo Alvarez fight, he had [Ryder] down but it went the distance.
"The reason Oscar and Golden Boy picked him was hoping Munguia would stop him and do something Canelo couldn't.
"I think that was his most impressive win so far," Hearn finished.
