IBF reaches out to Canelo Alvarez for vacant super middleweight belt

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Canelo Alvarez will have the chance to reclaim his throne after the International Boxing Federation (IBF) confirmed a mandatory fight between him and Osleys Iglesias for the vacant super middleweight belt.

This comes after the retirement of Terence Crawford, who previously held all the belts in the super middleweight division as the sport’s undisputed king in the 168-pound class.

In an unexpected announcement on Dec. 17, 2025, Crawford revealed that he would be hanging up his gloves for good: “Walking away as a great with nothing else to prove,” the undefeated champion wrote.

According to the IBF, The Ring will be contacting Iglesias (No. 1 contender) and Alvarez (No. 3 contender) to fight for the vacant belt.

For Alvarez, this opportunity gives him the chance to redeem himself — especially after losing all of his belts to Crawford, who moved up several weight classes to fight in the super middleweight division.

Crawford not only left Las Vegas speechless, but he also left a mark on the sport of boxing.

The sweet upset win propelled Crawford to a new level of greatness, making him the first boxer in the four-belt era to become an undisputed champion in three different weight classes — despite going up two divisions to challenge the mighty Mexican.

Despite the massive loss, Alvarez and his head trainer, Eddy Reynoso, never engaged in retirement talks and showed eagerness to bounce back fresh when the 2026 fighting calendar kicks off.

Two weeks after the super middleweight clash, Alvarez underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow, hinting at a determined stretch to return to the sport’s winning column.

On the other hand, Iglesias, another unbeaten rising star, is fresh off a lopsided eighth-round technical knockout victory over Vladimir Shishkin last Sept. 4, 2025.

Known for his heavy punching power, Iglesias will bring a new skill set to Alvarez — a contrasting style to Crawford’s technical approach, combined with counterpunching efficiency.

Will Alvarez accept the challenge against a young pug in the business?