Don’t expect former undisputed Super Middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez to return to action anytime soon.
That’s because the Mexican boxing superstar is set to undergo elbow surgery and will be sidelined
until the second or third quarter of 2026, according to The Ring. The procedure comes just weeks after his upset unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford on Sept. 13, 2025, inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada (watch highlights).
Canelo had been tentatively scheduled to fight again in February 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, against an opponent yet to be determined. That booking is now off the table.
Surprisingly, Alvarez has remained relatively healthy throughout his legendary career. His only other reported surgeries were a right knee operation in 2018 and a left wrist procedure in 2022. The upcoming elbow surgery marks just the third known time he’s gone under the knife.
The 35-year-old saw his six-fight win streak snapped in the loss to Crawford, dropping his WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, and The Ring Super Middleweight titles in the process.
Canelo still has two fights left on his four-fight deal with Riyadh Season, though it remains unclear who he’ll face when he’s ready to return.
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