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Canelo Álvarez's Elbow Surgery Pushes Return to Mid-to-Late 2026

The procedure forces a postponement of his planned February Riyadh bout under Turki Alalshikh.

Overview

  • Álvarez has been diagnosed with loose bodies in his left elbow and is scheduled for arthroscopic removal, with an excellent prognosis according to a team statement reported by The Ring.
  • Recovery timelines shared by outlets indicate light training could resume in about 4–6 weeks and full training in roughly 12–15 weeks, with at least two months sidelined.
  • The delayed timeline moves his next fight into the second or third quarter of 2026, effectively taking the February date in Riyadh off the table.
  • He has two fights remaining on his multi-fight Riyadh Season deal, and promoters are weighing new headliners after previously floated names such as Hamzah Sheeraz were considered for early 2026.
  • The news was first reported by Mike Coppinger of The Ring, and reaction includes Oscar De La Hoya publicly urging Álvarez to change long-time trainer Eddy Reynoso before any comeback.