Canelo Alvarez's potential opponents after inking four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh's Riyadh Season

We take a look at Canelo Alvarez's potential future opponents after the four-weight world champion inked a four-fight deal with Turki Alalshikh's Riyadh Season.

A boxing merry-go-round involving Turki Alalshikh, Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford and Jake Paul has seen one depart with another four individuals, at least, waiting to jump on.

Putting together a fight can often resemble a tumultuous relationship.

It’s off, it’s on, it’s off, it’s on.

And this week the sport has experienced typical highs and lows with a boxing ring nowhere to be seen.

Canelo, the current unified super-middleweight champion, looked set to return in May before taking on multi-weight champion Terence Crawford in September.

That was Monday.

A few days later an article in The RING Magazine - owned by Turki Alalshikh - reported the fight was off.

A third development hit the news wires when YouTube turned boxer Jake Paul emerged as a possible opponent for Canelo in a money-spinning bout on Netflix.

But finally, overnight, the boxing Gods weaved their magic when Alalshikh announced on X (formerly twitter) that Canelo had signed a four-fight deal working alongside the most powerful man in boxing.

On Friday, the RING reported that Canelo will have his first fight in Riyadh in May followed by a date in September, before two more fights in February and October 2026.

But which quartet of fighters will be tasked with taking down the Mexican superstar?

We take a look at the Mexican's potential pathway under the Riyadh Season banner...

Fight One - May 2025

Jermall Charlo or Bruno Surace

The career of Jermall Charlo has fallen off a cliff in recent years.

The identical twin brother of Jermell, the Louisiana native became WBC middleweight world champion in June 2019 and made four successful defences.

But out-of-ring issues and a mental health battle saw him eventually stripped of his title, subsequently rendering him inactive for over two years.

A successful return in November 2023 was followed six months later by a DWI charge.

Whilst an in-shape and mentally sound Charlo could prove problematic for Canelo, moving up in weight to tackle a formidable foe in the Mexican, with so little activity, would likely see the fight end in one way!

A more likely first opponent for Canelo under the guidance of Turki Alashikh is Frenchman Bruno Surace, who scored a 2024 'Knockout of the Year' contender against Canelo’s compatriot, Jaime Munguia, putting himself firmly in the frame for more big fights and big paydays.

Fight Two - September 2025

Terence Crawford

Of everything Alalshikh is likely to have pencilled in for Canelo, a showdown with Terence Crawford, for now, appears to be the one that is all but signed.

Crawford has been itching to get his hands on Canelo since he left behind his undisputed welterweight crown and swallowed a gulp of ‘Dare To Be Great’ juice.

Beating Israil Madrimov to win another world title up at super-welterweight was a risk for Crawford, but he prevailed.

Beating Canelo, however, would put him up there with all-time greats like Sugar Ray Leonard.

For Canelo it’s high risk with a lot to lose and not a lot to gain.

Nonetheless this is a genuine super-fight.

Fight Three - February 2026

Hamzah Sheeraz or Chris Eubank Jr

On July 18, 2026, Canelo Alvarez will celebrate his 36th birthday, but five months earlier he will be back in Riyadh for the third instalment of his four-fight agreement with Alalshikh.

By then Hamzah Sheerazz could be unified or undisputed middleweight champion. But standing at 6ft 3ins he won’t be making 11st 6lbs for too much longer.

Marching up to 168lbs will be welcomed by Sheeraz and given his good relationship with Alalshikh he will be in the mix to face Canelo.

As will Chris Eubank Jr who has called for a fight against the Mexican, but wants well compensated for doing so.

Beating Conor Benn won’t impress Canelo which means Eubank will need to face somebody his own size later this year if he is to land a career defining showdown against the unified super-middleweight champion.

Fight Four - October 2026

Dmitry Bivol, Artur Beterbiev or David Benavidez

Canelo hasn’t forgot his about his defeat to Dmitry Bivol on Cino De Mayo weekend in 2022.

Moving to light-heavyweight for a second time ultimately proved a bridge too far against a balletic boxer like Bivol, but come October 2026, though, the 175lb class could look a lot different.

Artur Beterbiev may have retired, Bivol may be sitting as undisputed or maybe ‘The Mexican Monster’ David Benavidez has taken care of everyone.

Canelo won’t face this version of Benavidez, arguably his greatest threat, but one that’s 18 months and possibly two or three fights older may entice him.

Either way, it promises to be an enthralling 20 months or so for the Mexican great.