Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez has sent shockwaves through the boxing world by officially setting a retirement timeline. The Mexican legend, who has dominated the super middleweight division for years, revealed on 'The Ariel Helwani Show' from Uncrowned that his professional career will end after just three or four more fights. At 36, with over two decades of fighting, Canelo is finally looking toward the final bell.

'Maybe three or four more fights for me, because I have other goals outside of boxing too,' Canelo stated calmly, making it clear that the countdown to his farewell has begun. He also used the opportunity to confirm the date for his highly anticipated WBC super middleweight title defense against Christian Mbilli: October 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This fight will be his first since elbow surgery last October, which forced him to skip his traditional May bout.

Boxing for Love, Not Money

With a record of 63 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws, including 39 knockouts, Canelo has earned tens of millions of dollars per fight for over a decade. Yet he insists that financial gain is not his driving force. 'I don't need anything... I've done it all in boxing and I'm good [financially]. But I still love boxing. Every time I fight, I break records, and that's my motivation. You need something in life to keep your mind busy and motivated. Right now, my motivation is boxing,' he explained.

The champion's passion remains undimmed. 'Boxing makes me feel alive. I was born for this. I really enjoy it. It's tough to adapt to different opponents over and over, and training camps are brutal, but I love it and I have a blast doing it.' This sentiment echoes throughout his career, as he has consistently taken on the toughest challenges, moving up and down weight classes to face elite opponents like Floyd Mayweather, Gennady Golovkin, Sergey Kovalev, and Dmitry Bivol.

Injuries and the Toll of Time

Father Time is undefeated, and even Canelo cannot escape the physical toll of his brutal sport. His recent elbow surgery in October 2024 was the latest in a series of medical procedures. He underwent knee surgery in 2018 and left hand surgery in 2022 after his second fight with Gennady Golovkin. After his loss to Dmitry Bivol in 2022, he admitted he had not been able to train at 100% due to a wrist injury and had fought with a knee brace on multiple occasions.

In recent years, Canelo's knockout power has waned. He has not scored a stoppage since November 2020 when he defeated Caleb Plant, a span of nearly five years. His fighting pace has also slowed, with longer gaps between fights. These signs of wear and tear have led many observers to agree that retirement is the sensible move. The physical demands of training camps and the stress of maintaining top condition at 36 are becoming harder to manage.

Throughout his career, Canelo has faced a who's who of boxing: Miguel Cotto, Amir Khan, Billy Joe Saunders, Callum Smith, and many others. He unified the super middleweight division in 2021 and 2022, becoming the undisputed champion. His only defeats came against Floyd Mayweather (2013), Dmitry Bivol (2022), and a controversial loss to Gennady Golovkin in their first fight (which many felt he won). Two draws with Golovkin further define his legacy as a warrior who always seeks the best.

What's Next Outside the Ring?

'Maybe four more fights,' Canelo reiterated when asked about his remaining bouts. 'I'm still in it. I'm focused until the end. When I retire, I'll keep working out, boxing, this and that, but I have other things to do and then I'll focus 100% on those.'

Speculation has long swirled about Canelo becoming a promoter, given his immense popularity and business acumen. However, he categorically dismissed that idea: 'With everything going on with promoters now and all that, I don't want to get involved in that stuff. It's not really my goal to be a promoter or to be fighting with all the other promoters. I don't want to be part of that.' This suggests he may pursue ventures outside of boxing entirely, though he remains open to staying connected to the sport in some capacity.

His legacy is already secure. Canelo is widely regarded as the greatest Mexican boxer of all time, surpassing legends like Julio César Chávez, Salvador Sánchez, and Erik Morales. He has won world titles in four weight classes: light heavyweight, super middleweight, middleweight, and junior middleweight. He is the first and only boxer to become undisputed champion at super middleweight.

Canelo's Legacy: Nothing Left to Prove

'It's not about money... I've had plenty of big paydays, but I still love boxing. I don't do it because of the big purses. It's because I truly still enjoy boxing. I love boxing. But there's nothing left out there for me to prove, because I've already done it all. I've achieved pretty much everything in boxing,' he declared.

And indeed, he has. From his early days as a red-haired teenager from Guadalajara who turned professional at 15, to becoming the face of boxing and the sport's biggest pay-per-view star, Canelo has accomplished feats that few can match. His style—a combination of head movement, counterpunching, and devastating body shots—has entertained millions. He has headlined major events at AT&T Stadium, the T-Mobile Arena, and now the grand stage in Riyadh.

The upcoming fight against Christian Mbilli on Halloween night will be significant. Mbilli, a French-Cameroonian contender, is undefeated and hungry for a title shot. Canelo, despite his age and recent inactivity, remains a heavy favorite. But the champion knows that each fight brings him closer to the end. Fans must savor every moment of his remaining career.

In the broader context, Canelo's retirement will leave a void in boxing. There is no obvious successor to his status as the sport's biggest star. While fighters like Terence Crawford, Errol Spence, and David Benavidez are elite, none have the same crossover appeal or drawing power. Canelo's departure will mark the end of an era that began when he first captured the world's attention by knocking out Carlos Baldomir in 2006.

For now, the focus remains on his last few fights. After Mbilli, possible opponents include a rematch with Dmitry Bivol, a fight with Caleb Plant again, or a showdown with David Benavidez if the latter moves up to 168 pounds. Canelo has also expressed interest in fighting in Japan or the UK before retiring. Whatever the case, the countdown has started, and the boxing world will be watching closely.

Source: MSN News