New WBO junior middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez said after defeating Liam Smith by ninth-round TKO on Saturday at AT&T Stadium that he hurt his right hand in the second round, and was forced to rely mostly on his left the rest of the fight.
It was confirmed on Monday that Canelo indeed suffered a fracture of the right thumb. The Mexican superstar visited Dr. Pedro Jaime Lomeli, and had X-rays and a CT scan taken on the hand.
An avulsion fracture of the right thumb was revealed. An avulsion fracture is where the tendon or ligament pulls off a piece of the bone. Canelo does not need surgery but the hand will be immobilized for the next six weeks and the lineal middleweight champion will not fight again in 2016. Dr. Lomeli said the prognosis for a complete recovery is excellent.
Canelo was scheduled to return Dec. 10 on HBO (not PPV) at Madison Square Garden. The event would have marked Alvarez?s first fight in New York. The redhead said his win over Liam Smith was likely his last at 154 pounds, and it was expected the December bout would be at the middleweight limit of 160 pounds, where GGG holds three titles.
Former middleweight titleholder David Lemieux, who is also promoted by Golden Boy, and Willie Monroe, who defeated Gabe Rosado on Saturday?s undercard, were being considered as opponents.
Now, it?s possible Canelo won?t return until Cinco De Mayo weekend on HBO PPV.
Golden Boy Promotions, which handles Canelo?s career, said this does nothing to derail the fighter?s plans to move up in weight and take on the best in the middleweight division next year, presumably including the mega-fight, possibly in September, with Gennady Golovkin.
