Former undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is going through a rough patch in his career. On September 13, he lost his four 168-pound titles to Terence Crawford, and his dominance was extinguished in front of millions of fans around the world. Now, it has been confirmed that the Mexican boxer will undergo surgery, which could postpone his return to the ring.
It has been revealed, with information coming from the entourage of Turki Alalshikh, Sheikh and president of the General Entertainment Authority of Saudi Arabia, that Canelo Alvarez will have to undergo elbow surgery, a procedure that will keep him away from training not only because of the operation but also because of the months he will be under rehabilitation sessions.
When was Canelo Alvarez’s next fight scheduled?
The Guadalajara native’s fight calendar covers two windows a year: in May, to commemorate the Battle of Puebla, and in September, during the Fiestas Patrias celebrations. However, it was speculated that with the defeat to the American, the Arab promoter was quickly looking for another fight for the Mexican to keep him in the public’s mind. However, due to the elbow injury, it is likely that Canelo Alvarez will not be back in the ring until September 2026.
There has been no official statement from Canelo’s team or Turki Alalshikh to know the exact diagnosis. This type of injury tends to be located in the wear and tear of cartilage, ligaments or bone spurs, which remain unknown. However, it is clear that Canelo Alvarez’s elbow has suffered the accumulated wear and tear of years of high-impact boxing. The question now weighing on his immediate future is whether his return will maintain the level that made him one of the greats of contemporary boxing.
Is this the end of Canelo Alvarez’s career?
Saul Alvarez is 37 years old and has 68 professional fights in two decades of uninterrupted career. However, these injuries do not put his boxing career at risk in the coming years. The immediate consequence is a significant reduction in his sporting and public activities. Scheduled camps, media preparation and promotional tours will be put on hold while the boxer concentrates on recovery.
Medical experts point out that surgery can relieve pain and restore mobility, which would allow Canelo to maintain power and speed in his punches. Similar cases in other boxers have shown that full recovery can take several months. However, some boxing analysts point out that the accumulated physical wear and tear could affect his performance, despite a successful procedure.
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