Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez might hang up his gloves after his upcoming fight with Terence Crawford on September 12, 2023. The 34-year-old Mexican superstar's potential retirement comes as he faces mounting challenges in the ring and strain on his body.
Canelo's recent performance against William Scull in Saudi Arabia on May 3 raised eyebrows. Although he won by unanimous decision, he struggled to dominate his opponent or stop Scull's movement around the ring. This fight highlighted a possible decline in Canelo's once-fearsome power and ability to control the pace of a bout.
Now, Canelo gears up for a showdown with the undefeated Terence Crawford (41-0). Crawford, who fights 2-3 weight divisions below Canelo, presents a unique challenge. Eddie Hearn, promoter with Matchroom Boxing, believes this could be Canelo's final fight.
"Father time catches up with everyone," Hearn said. "The strain on Canelo's body, his declining power, and the difficulty of training camps all point to this being his last hurrah."
Interestingly, some reports suggest Canelo's primary motivation for the Crawford fight is financial rather than sporting. Canelo reportedly feels he won't get credit for beating someone from lower weight classes, asking, "Why would I be given credit for beating someone three divisions below?"
The Crawford bout is part of a four-fight deal Canelo signed with Riyadh Season and Turki Al-Sheikh. After the Scull fight, Hearn even considered the possibility that Canelo might not follow through with the Crawford matchup.
Canelo's career spans an impressive 63-2-2 record across multiple weight divisions. As he approaches his 35th birthday in July, the question of retirement looms large. Will the Crawford fight be Canelo's last dance in the ring? Only time will tell, but the boxing world watches with bated breath as one of its biggest stars contemplates hanging up his gloves.
