According to Turki Alalshikh, he made a visit to Canelo Alvarez subsequent to his defeat by Terence Crawford. He indicated that Canelo (63-3-2, 39 KOs) currently has two matches remaining under the terms of his agreement with Riyadh Season, which extends through the year 2026.
Turki mentioned that he proposed to Canelo that they collaborate until he decides to retire from boxing. The exact timing of his retirement was not specified, but it is conceivable that it could occur at the conclusion of the following year. Alvarez is 35 years of age and did not exhibit the same level of performance as he had in the past during his twelve-round unanimous decision loss to Crawford.
Even though it was not as lopsided a contest as some fans have suggested, Alvarez did seem to lose some momentum in the final four rounds, specifically rounds nine through twelve. He had performed adequately in the first eight rounds to potentially secure a narrow decision victory, but this was not reflected in the judges’ scores. The official scores were 115-113, 115-113, and 116-112.
Turki did not disclose the identities of the boxers he intends to propose for Canelo to face in 2026 for the final two fights of his contract. The following represent potential adversaries for Alvarez:
- Hamzah Sheeraz
- David Benavidez: A highly anticipated, significant match, even more so than the Crawford bout
- Conor Benn
- Chris Eubank Jr.
- Dmitry Bivol: a second encounter
- Terence Crawford: a second encounter
I just visited the champ in his place. He will soon start his vacation with his family. He has 2 fights left with @RiyadhSeason in ’26. We offered him to work with us until he quits and retires. I want go give a special thank you to @Canelo for the special gift. He gave me the… pic.twitter.com/7VqrZ3DEoI
— TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) September 16, 2025
In terms of his capabilities, Canelo remains capable of continuing to box beyond 2026, but he would need to be matched with opponents carefully to avoid repeated defeats. He still possesses the capacity to defeat boxers such as Sheeraz, Eubank Jr., and Benn. Potential opponents who could present challenges for Alvarez at 168 pounds include Christian Mbilli, Lester Martinez, Osleys Iglesias, and Diego Pacheco.
The primary issue that could impede Canelo’s success in his final two fights is his diminished stamina. He has struggled with his conditioning since his defeat to Bivol in 2022, and this is a factor that could negatively impact him next year if he faces a particularly formidable opponent.
