It has been revealed that new light middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez suffered a broken thumb during his win against then-champion Liam Smith.
Golden Boy spokesman Stefan Friedman said on September 19 via ESPN that Canelo visited hand specialist Dr. Pedro Jaime Lomeli in his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico. After undergoing X-rays and a CT scan, he was diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of the right thumb. It was announced that Canelo is done fighting for the remainder of the year.
"Canelo does not need surgery, and the prognosis is excellent," Friedman said. "Canelo's hand will be immobilized for the next six weeks, and he will be unable to fight again in 2016."
In the post-fight press conference, Canelo admitted that he got hurt early in the fight, and that was the reason he started using his left hand more.
"After I got hurt I probably used my left hand a little more and went to the body a little bit more, but [going to the body] was part of the game plan," Canelo said. "I've always said you have to be prepared for anything in that ring, and that's what I was. I was prepared for anything."
Canelo won via TKO in the 9th round after knocking Smith down in rounds 7, 8 and 9. HBO had a fight set for Canelo in December, but now that fight is called off. There was the possibility of Canelo fighting unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin in the near future, but now if the two were to fight, it will most likely happen in 2017.
