Canelo Álvarez to Undergo Elbow Surgery, Delaying His Return to the Ring
Undisputed super middleweight world champion Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez will undergo elbow surgery, which postpones his return to the ring until the second quarter of 2026. This is confirmed by sources close to him.
Álvarez, who has been dealing with elbow pain for several weeks, is expected to be out of action for a minimum of two months, with a possible full return to training within 12 to 15 weeks, according to sources.
The surgery is scheduled for October 23.
Álvarez, 35 years old, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford on September 13 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, an event that attracted more than 70,000 fans. This defeat meant the loss of all his super middleweight titles.
Canelo (63-3-2, 39 KOs) has two more fights signed with Saudi sports promoter Turki Alalshikh, following a victory against William Scull in Saudi Arabia on May 4 and the recent defeat against Crawford.
According to the original calendar announced by Alalshikh, Álvarez was scheduled to fight again in February, but the surgery will alter that timeframe, and he is not expected to return to the ring until the second quarter of 2026.
This is the third surgery for Álvarez during his 20-year career, following procedures on his right knee in 2018 and his left wrist in 2022.
