Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez never had much use for chalkboards or school bells. While other teenagers were stressing about homework and high school crushes, Canelo was getting in the ring, professionally, at the tender age of 15. “I just love everything about boxing,” he told V Man in 2022. And honestly? It shows.

Today, he is a living legend. Ranked 7th on The Ring’s pound-for-pound list, the red-haired Mexican fighter possesses the WBA, WBC, and WBO super middleweight championships. One more belt—IBF—and he’s undisputed, as he was in his 2021 reign. That opportunity arrives May 3rd, when he battles undefeated William Scull in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

But here’s the actual twist in his tale: while his fists traveled through opponents, his feet hardly made it through the school gates. So what happened to his education? Come, let’s explore!

What is the academic level of Canelo Álvarez?

From the very beginning, Canelo prioritised his boxing career over getting a formal education. From a very early memory, he recalls knocking out a boxer twice his age. “He was like 30 or 35 years old and I was 14 years old. I was born for this,” Alvarez told Marca.

Talking about his education, the Mexican continued, “I never liked school. I went just to go. When I made my professional debut at the age of fifteen, I was in high school. And, I was already alone. My parents had separated for two years and I could decide anything. I don’t regret what I did. I never tell my children that because they have to study, mine were other circumstances.” So, when he said that he was made for it, Canelo really meant that.

The choice he made two decades ago is what brought him to become the global icon he is in the sport today. So, when it comes to academics, Canelo has only completed his basic education. In Mexico, where he grew up, that usually includes pre-school and elementary education (also known as primaria or primary school), covering grades through to the sixth. And from what Medio Tiempo reported, Alvarez never completed secondary education. He left the life of school and studies to dedicate himself entirely to his boxing career, a decision that was driven by his ambition to become the best.

Canelo Álvarez: Sacrificing school to pursue his boxing dream

The choice he made at the time, of leaving his education incomplete, wasn’t naturally supported by his parents. They had disapproved of him abandoning his academics like that, like any parent would. Yet, Canelo didn’t listen to anyone and went ahead with his dream over what is conventionally seen as the right thing to do for a boy his age. Sure, it was a big sacrifice he was making. In his country, just as in most countries across the globe, completing secondary education was considered a basic requirement. Even Canelo’s sister, Ana Elda Alvarez, noted that he wasn’t very fond of school. She said he was mischievous and preferred to spend time with his friends outside the classroom.

So, one can say that this general lack of interest in academics and an early exposure to boxing is what fuelled him to become a full-time boxer, albeit it was a risky step to take.

Canelo Álvarez himself has acknowledged the challenges that came with his choices. He understood how disciplined he needed to be. Nevertheless, the one positive thing that happened for him was that he could focus intensely on his boxing career. In fact, he had started his amateur career at the age of 13, later deciding to turn professional after two years. He made his debut in October 2005, defeating Abraham González by fourth-round TKO at the Arena Chololo Larios in Tonalá, Jalisco. That fight is what gave him the head start, gaining him momentum for what came next. By the age of 21, he had already won his first title by defeating Matthew Hatton.

It’s worth noting that while Canelo may not have pursued his own education to the fullest, he’s never dismissed its value. In fact, he’s made it clear that he understands just how important it is. During an interview with Box Azteca, one of his former teachers shared that Canelo had made a generous donation to his old school in Juanacatlán, Jalisco—funds that helped upgrade the infrastructure and provide better facilities for the next generation of students. 

So while he chose an unconventional path for himself, Canelo hasn’t forgotten where he came from, and he’s used his success to uplift others.

Canelo Álvarez’s story mirrors that of many elite athletes—those who made bold sacrifices early on, trading textbooks for training, but never losing sight of the value of education. What’s your take on that kind of trade-off?