Canelo Alvarez IMAGO / Agencia-MexSport

Canelo Alvarez Sends Clear Retirement Message On 20th Career Anniversary

Originally posted on KO on SI | By Apratim Banerjee | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 9:55 PM ET

Canelo Alvarez has completed two decades in his storied professional career. It's been exactly 20 years since the Mexican superstar made his professional debut against Abraham Gonzalez in 2005, winning via fourth-round TKO.

During his illustrious career, Canelo has won world titles in four different weight classes and is a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion. And for more than a decade, he has been considered the face of boxing.

The GGG trilogy, wins against Shane Mosley, Amir Khan, Miguel Cotto, James Kirkland, Austin Trout, Billy Jor Saunders, Sergey Kovalev, Caleb Plant, and more are some of the brightest moments of Canelo's career.

He boasts an impressive 63-3-2 professional record, and when it's all said and done, Canelo will go down as a first ballot hall of famer. However, at 35, Canelo is not the fighter he once was. He looked lackluster in his recent defeat to Terence Crawford and has also now undergone elbow surgery. It's unclear how long Canelo will continue.

Canelo Alvarez makes retirement stance clear

IMAGO / Hoganphotos

Canelo feels he still has a lot left in the tank, though, claiming:

"Twenty years in, I still feel the same fire I had when I first stepped into the ring. Every victory and every challenge has made me who I am today. I'm deeply grateful to my family, fans and to Mexico- You've been my strength and my inspiration since day one. Everything I've achieved, I carry with the pride of my people. The fight continues, and my passion is stronger than ever."Canelo Alvarez

Canelo also posted a throwback video on his Instagram account looking back at his journey. He touched base on starting training at the age of 13 and taking up boxing as his career at first glance. Canelo certainly made the right choice and etched his name in history as one of the greatest ever.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Saul Alvarez (@canelo)

Canelo is currently sidelined following surgery and is expected to return to training in four to six weeks. His ring return is likely to be in the second half of 2026. A Crawford rematch could very well be on the line as Canelo was a longstanding super middleweight champion and had never lost in the division before.

Twenty years into his career, Canelo has a lot of wear and tear, so here's hoping this time off is a smart career move that extends his time in the sport.

This article first appeared on KO on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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