Canelo Alvarez Reveals Plans for His Farewell Fight

The Mexican has had a professional career spanning almost two decades.

Canelo Alvarez | USA TODAY Sports

Ahead of his first fight as a true challenger in years against Christian Mbilli at the end of October, Canelo Alvarez has revealed where he wants the final fight of his career to be.

The challenge for Mbilli's WBC super middleweight title on October 31 will be his first since he lost a unanimous decision to Terence Crawford last September. That left many questioning how much the 36-year-old had left, especially when coming against a ferociously strong and high-volume fighter like Mbilli next.

Canelo has been a dominant force in the super middleweight division for eight years and has had 28 world title fights across four divisions, including his upcoming bout with Mbilli, in 69 professional outings. That experience at the highest level cannot be replaced and will serve him well against the Frenchman, who is just beginning his reign as a world champion.

Christian Mbilli | IMAGO / Panoramic by PsnewZ

But there were calls for his retirement after Alvarez himself admitted that his body was not responding to his commands the way that it used to during his fight with Crawford. That, paired with an obvious change in his style to accommodate his age over the past few years, has led to a sense that the end is near.

Canelo planning his farewell

Canelo had previously been adamant that he still loved the sport and wanted to continue on, but his latest admission of where he sees himself closing out his career perhaps points to him having one eye on the comfortable retirement he has more than earned.

"I want my last fight to be in Mexico," Alvarez told ESPN. "When I was there as a fan supporting the national team [in the World Cup in June], I was at Estadio Azteca [in Mexico City] and it's a stadium that gives you an incredible vibe -- a very good feeling. I pictured myself fighting there."

IMAGO / Hoganphotos

It would be a fitting end to the Mexican icon's career, as the last person to fight at the Estadio Azteca was another great before him, Julio Cesar Chavez, who fought Greg Haugen in front of a record 132,000 Mexican fans. It is not on Canelo's immediate radar, but he and his coach, Eddy Reynoso, believe he has only a few fights before he could have his own night like Chavez.

"Honestly, I feel very good. I could fight a lot longer considering how I feel and how my body is," Alvarez explained. "But I also have other goals outside of boxing. I think I've accomplished everything in boxing. From here, there isn't much more I can do. I'm still enjoying the process.

"If you ask me, it would never be enough. If it were up to me, it would never be enough. But I think four or five more fights would be enough. I've already done everything I needed to do in boxing. I've done more than I ever imagined I would."

Canelo Alvarez and Eddy Reynoso | IMAGO / Hoganphotos

Reynoso echoed this sentiment: "He's in the final stage," Reynoso said. "That's no secret to anyone, not at all. He's already had 70 fights; he's been boxing and fighting for 20 years. He's 36, almost 37. I think these are his last fights. We're preparing pretty well, thoroughly; we're doing things the best way possible and we want to keep fighting. We'll see how it goes."