Canelo is set to face Terence Crawford in September, but it seems his 2026 opponent has already been selected.
Canelo is gearing up for a mega-fight with fellow pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford in Las Vegas in September.
Canelo must first beat Crawford, who is moving up multiple weight classes to face him for the undisputed super-middleweight titles, before considering who he might face next, though it seems Turki Alalshikh has one opponent in mind.
Hamzah Sheeraz to face Canelo in 2026
In the co-main event of last night’s bout between Shakur Stevenson and William Zepeda, Hamzah Sheeraz delivered a brutal stoppage win over Edgar Berlanga in the fifth round, after the Puerto Rican was saved by the bell following a knockdown in the fourth.
Berlanga went into the fight with a record of 23-1 with 18 knockout wins. His only loss came on points against Canelo, who bet 500k on Usyk to beat Dubois recently, in September last year. Berlanga has no respect for Canelo now after their fight.
With his dominant victory, doing what Canelo could not, Sheeraz has set himself up for a huge fight with Canelo, which could even land in the United Kingdom.
Turki Alalshikh said on X of Sheeraz’s win over Berlanga, “What a performance from Hamzah Sheeraz in NY with thousands against him. England and Pakistan should be proud of Hamzah. He will be champion inshallah.”
He also stated, “Hamzah now deserves Canelo in 2026.”
Canelo could face another British fighter in 2026 as well
In April this year, British fans were treated to a major domestic dust-up between Conor Benn and Chris Eubank Jr., extending the legacy of their fathers who fought twice before them in one of the country’s greatest rivalries.
The event and fight delivered fireworks, and ended with the bigger man in Eubank as the rightful victor.
The pair are now locked in for a rematch later this year, though Turki Alalshikh has also claimed that the winner of this fight will secure a shot against Canelo next year.
Canelo’s 2026 is shaping up to be a busy one, with Hamzah Sheeraz and Chris Eubank Jr. his two likely next opponents.