Reports: Canelo Alvarez out until at least mid-2026 after elbow surgery

Canelo Alvarez, boxing's biggest star, has undergone elbow surgery, delaying the Mexican's next fight from a planned February event to at least the second quarter of 2026, according to multiple reports.

Alvarez, 35, lost the undisputed super middleweight world championship to Terence "Bud" Crawford on Sept. 13 in Las Vegas. Crawford won by unanimous decision on the judges' scorecards, 116-112, 115-113, 115-113.

ESPN reported that Alvarez, for whom elbow pain had been an issue for several weeks, will be out for at least two months before a possible return to training in 12 to 15 weeks.

Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) has a four-bout contract with Saudi sports promoter Turki Alalshikh's Riyadh Season that has included a May 4 win over William Scull and the fight against Crawford. Alavarez said afterward that he was open to a rematch with Crawford (42-0, 31 KOs).