Canelo Alvarez is set to have to wait a little longer to return to the boxing ring and get back to winning ways.
The Mexican superstar lost his undisputed super-middleweight title to Terence Crawford earlier this month.
The unanimous points decisions loss in Las Vegas was just the third time Canelo has experienced defeat in his 68-fight professional career.
The boxer's deal with Riyadh Season meant he was scheduled to be back in action next February in the Saudi-Arabian capital for the third bout of his four-fight agreement.
He was then set to complete his Riyadh Season deal with another fight in the city in October 2026.
However, the 35-year-old has suffered a notable setback in his attempt to get back fighting and to become a world champion once again.
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The latest on Canelo's upcoming fight plans
Per Ring Magazine's Mike Coppinger on the latest episode of DAZN's Inside the Ring show, Canelo is set to undergo surgery on a fresh elbow injury, which will keep him out of action indefinitely.
This means Canelo's planned comeback for next February is off the table, and he will instead compete in his 69th professional bout somewhere between April and September in 2026.
Canelo Alvarez is set to undergo elbow surgery, with his return to the ring expected to be in mid to late 2026, @MikeCoppinger has revealed.#InsideTheRing LIVE NOW exclusively on DAZN 📺 pic.twitter.com/W4WvhEDdxR
— InsideRingShow (@InsideRingShow) September 29, 2025
Despite being an undisputed champion twice and winning world titles in four separate weight divisions, Canelo has made it clear he is not done with boxing and plans to continue fighting at the highest level.
He remains one of boxing's biggest draws despite his recent loss to Crawford and excitement around his next fight will inevitably grow once he overcomes his current elbow issue.
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