Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will face an extended period outside the ring.
The Mexican superstar, who lost his undisputed super middleweight championship to Terence Crawford in their Sep. 13 Netflix blockbuster at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, will undergo elbow surgery, delaying his ring return until mid-to-late 2026. Turki Alalshikh’s Ring Magazine first reported the news Monday.
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Alvarez, Uncrowned’s No. 10 pound-for-pound boxer, signed a four-fight deal with Saudi Arabian fight financier Alalshikh this past February. The agreement called for the four-division champion to compete twice under the “Riyadh Season” banner in 2026. The first of those two fights was initially scheduled for February, with the second planned for October, both to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hamzah Sheeraz, fresh off his knockout win over Edgar Berlanga in July, was the leading candidate for Alvarez’s return bout in February, with Chris Eubank Jr., Christian Mbilli and Dmitry Bivol among others, in consideration for both fights in 2026.
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As a result of Monday’s news, Alvarez, 35, is now expected to return in either the second quarter or third quarter of 2026. If his next bout is pushed into the third quarter of 2026, the Mexican star may only compete once next year.
It is unclear who Alvarez’s opponent will be for his first contest of 2026. Alvarez is now ranked as the No. 1 contender in the WBC and the WBO following his loss to Crawford, with the IBF and WBA rankings yet to drop.