Turki Alalshikh did what no promoter could do in front of him: the walls of boxing politics, forcing impossible battles to happen. He deserves each piece of credit for giving fans the show pieces they have refused for years. But with Canelo álvarez, Turki may have made his first mistake – and a very expensive one.
Reports confirm that Canelo underwent elbow operations, which delayed its return until late 2026. On the surface it is a medical update. But below? It feels like a built -in excuse, an insurance policy, or worse, the opening act of a pre -written retirement.
Turki has invested more than $ 400 million in Canelo for four fights. It is generation fees, a statement to the world. And what has the Kingdom received so far?
- Fight 1: A Cherry-Pick. A safe, uninspired choice. A salary without risk. Hardly what $ 400 million was supposed to buy.
- Fight 2: A disaster. Terence “Bud” Crawford not only beat Canelo, but broke him down and exposed the gap between a great career and true grandeur. The night was not just a loss; It was a humiliation that overturned the narrative worldwide.
- Fight 3: Already compromised. By going under the knife now, Canelo created a ready -made shield. If he loses, the excuse awaits: “He wasn’t the same after the operation.” When he retires, the story was drawn up: “The injury forced him.”
Turki’s markbook may have bought the most expensive alibi in boxing history.
And here’s the darker truth: Even if Canelo returns, his way forward is a minefield.
- Crawford Rematch: He will be placed in it, because it is the only battle that the numbers deliver Turki. But Crawford knows him now. He tasted the timing, saw the weaknesses and felt the faded legs. The rematch wouldn’t just be another loss. It can be a standstill, a final exclamation mark of Omaha.
- Hamzah Sheeraz: Young, long, clumsy, uncomfortable. Exactly the kind of puzzle that Canelo has never liked. If styles make fights, make these one nightmares.
- David benavidez: The Mexican monster. Larger, fresher, relentless. It’s not just about losing – it’s about punishment. Canelo was able to capture himself under ten, twelve rounds of continued firepower.
What does the operation really mean? Maybe it’s a sincere medical necessity. Maybe Canelo could no longer delay it. But maybe – and that’s the uncomfortable truth – it’s the blueprint for an exit. A way to leave the stage in sympathy instead of walking through one of the three doors and risking cruel exposure.
If so, then Turki’s $ 400m bet was not on the future of Boxing. It was on a faded star that just gave himself a parachute.
The irony is rich. Turki has built the Riyadh season in the new superpower of the sport by eliminating excuses – by forcing fighters to take the risks that their promoters have long denied. And yet the face of his empire can end his barrel with the easiest excuse of all: “The elbow.”
History will remember Crawford’s masterpiece. It may remember that Benavidez’s rise, Sheeraz’s boom or Inoue’s climb. But Canelo? Unless something wonderful happens in 2026, his dusk can be remembered for whom he beat, but for the star that followed him in every conversation.
The operation will not only restore its elbow. This will give him an exit strategy.
Last updated on 10/01/2025
