NEW YORK — Canelo Alvarez says boxing is the one thing stopping him from becoming a scratch golfer, even as he prepares for his WBC Super Middleweight Championship fight against Christian Mbilli on October 31 in Saudi Arabia. The 36-year-old former undisputed super middleweight champion, who holds a 63-3-2 record to Mbilli's 29-0-1, discussed his passion for golf during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.
Alvarez said he discovered golf in 2019 during the coronavirus pandemic and quickly became addicted to the game, but he cannot play as much as he would like because it is not worth risking an injury ahead of a fight. "I found out about golf in 2019, during COVID, and I love golf so much. I miss golf because right now I cannot play. I miss golf a lot," Alvarez told Pat McAfee.
Despite limited practice, the Mexican star said he remains a mid-handicapper and believes he could reach scratch with consistent play. "No. I can't be scratch because every time I go into training camp, I don't grab a club. Then getting back [to my best] is difficult," Alvarez said. "Without practice and without grabbing a club, my handicap is 10. I play in something around 80 or 82."
Alvarez counts Del Mar Country Club in California as his home course and has also played Pebble Beach and Shadow Creek over the last few years. He said the extended breaks during training camp make it difficult to return to his best form, keeping him around 80 to 82 while boxing remains his priority.