Canelo Alvarez Trains for Sept 12 Riyadh Return vs Champion

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez, the Mexican boxing star and former undisputed super middleweight champion, has begun training for his return to the ring on September 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, nearly a year after a unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford that cost him his titles. The 35-year-old fighter from Guadalajara emphasized that he will only face a reigning world champion, narrowing the field of potential opponents as he seeks to reclaim his place in the 168-pound division.

Alvarez's defeat to Crawford last September in Las Vegas marked his third loss in 68 professional bouts. The American, moving up two weight classes, dominated the fight with superior technical boxing, leading to Crawford's short-lived retirement shortly after. Alvarez, who has held world titles across multiple weight classes, used the time away to address lingering injuries, including elbow surgery that he described as overdue. "I wish I were just days away from fighting, but well, I had to take care of my body and my injuries, which you tend to put off. Then they just keep piling up, so I gave myself that time to take care of what I had, and it was worth it," Alvarez told Box Azteca.