Canelo Alvarez’s Tattoos: What Do They Mean?

Former undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez is one of the most easily recognizable boxers in the world. The Mexican superstar is known for his insane physique and boxing skills. However, one aspect of the champion that goes under the radar is his tattoos. He is a big fan of body art and has a number of different tattoos himself. 

Canelo Alvarez is about to enter the ring against William Scull on May 2nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This fight will potentially lead Canelo Alvarez to a mega fight against Terence Crawford in September later this year. However, ahead of the fight, let’s look at what tattoos Canelo has and what they mean.

What does Canelo Alvarez’s back tattoo mean?

Inspirational quote tattoo: Another one of Canelo Alvarez’s famous tattoos is the inspirational quote on his back. The tattoo says, “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it’s a matter of choice. Life is hard, but never give up. Keep on fighting & always believe in yourself to achieve your Dreams.”

‘Perseverencia’ tattoo: Alvarez also has a tattoo that represents his mindset and dedication. He has the word ‘Perseverencia’, which means perseverance, tattooed on the back of his neck.

Second daughter’s birthdate tattoo: Along with Emily’s birthdate, Canelo also has tattooed his second daughter, Maria’s birthdate, on his body. This, however, is not in numerals and is located at the bottom of his neck. It reads, ’28 Dec 2017’.

Other tattoos on Canelo Alvarez’s body & their meaning

Daughter’s portrait tattoo: Canelo has a big portrait of his daughter Emily on his left forearm. This is because for Canelo, his family has always been a priority, and his love for his daughters comes before everything else.

His Daughter Maria’s tattoo: Along with a tattoo of Emily, Canelo also has a tattoo of his other daughter, Maria. We can see this tattoo on his left bicep. 

‘Lady with Plume’: Sticking to his proud roots, Canelo also has a tattoo of a woman with a plume headgear on his left forearm, which shows his respect for his heritage.

Girlfriend’s Eyes tattoo: Canelo also has a pair of eyes tattooed on his left forearm. However, the meaning of this tattoo is unknown.

‘No Boxing no life’ tattoo: Another one of Canelo’s meaningful tattoos is his ‘No boxing, no life’ one that we can find on his left bicep. This is right next to the tattoo of his daughter Maria.

Matching Crown tattoos: Alvarez and his girlfriend have matching crown tattoos on their forearms. This tattoo is also accompanied by the date ‘28/11/2014’. Thus, it is safe to say this is a date special to the couple.

Cinnamon tattoo: The Mexican has a tattoo that says ‘cinnamon’. This is a tribute to his nickname, Canelo, which translates to cinnamon in English.

Rose: Canelo also has a tattoo of a rose on his left arm. However, the reason and meaning behind this design are unknown.

Debut Date tattoo: Alvarez has a tattoo of the date on which he made his debut. However, the date is in Roman numerals. It converts to 29/10/2005- The day he made his professional boxing debut as a 15-year-old.

Daughter’s birthdate tattoo: Canelo has another date tattoo on his left forearm. This time it is the birthdate of his first daughter Emily, who was born on 12/10/2007. And again, this tattoo is also in Roman numerals.

Second daughter’s birthdate tattoo: Along with Emily’s birthdate, Canelo also has tattooed his second daughter, Maria’s birthdate, on his body. This, however, is not in numerals and is located at the bottom of his neck. It reads, ’28 Dec 2017’.

‘27/8/2018’ tattoo: The last of Canelo’s tattoos is another date. This time it reads ’27-8-2018’ and is located on his left wrist. However, the meaning of this tattoo is unknown.

That said, it appears much like his decorated boxing career, Canelo’s body, which he has turned into a canvas, is decorated with beautiful tattoos. What are your thoughts on the tattoos?