Boxing sensation Canelo Alvarez may not be returning in early 2026, as had been initially suggested.

As we know, Canelo Alvarez is coming off the back of a big defeat at the hands of Terence Crawford in their superfight last month. While Canelo wasn’t exactly dominated, it was certainly a solid victory for Crawford who, in the eyes of many, didn’t really stand a chance as a result of the size difference between the two men. Alas, he got the job done, and he sent Canelo back to the drawing board.

Soon after the fight, it was revealed that Canelo Alvarez would be undergoing elbow surgery in order to fix a lingering issue. Because of this, the expectation was that he wouldn’t be back in the ring until early 2026 at the earliest, and that there was a chance it could be even later than that.

Now, as per the following comments from Dan Rafael, Canelo Alvarez fans may have to think twice before looking forward to him competing around that timeframe.

Canelo Alvarez’s 2026 boxing return in jeopardy

“He’s (Canelo Alvarez) is having loose particles cleaned up out of that elbow, that’ll probably put him on the shelf for a couple of months,” Rafael told Boxing News. “I think it’s questionable if you ask me — or maybe aggressive, if you think he’ll be back in the ring by February.

“…I don’t think he’s gonna be in any hurry to get back in the ring,” Rafael explained. “Number one, you wanna make sure you’re healthy. Number two — not that this has even been a case with Canelo, but there may be less of a need to get back right away. …I would think more closer to the springtime, perhaps even in the summer.”

Quotes via Bloody Elbow

Get well soon, Canelo.