Canelo Álvarez donates 2 million pesos to Candelaria Rivas Ramos, the Rarámuri runner who conquered the world with huaraches and heart

Guadalupe y Calvo, Chihuahua – December 8, 2025.

Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, Mexico’s greatest boxer and one of the highest-paid athletes on the planet, has just made the most emotional donation of his career: 2 million pesos (approximately $110,000) to Candelaria Rivas Ramos, the 38-year-old indigenous Rarámuri runner who became a global symbol of resistance after winning the Canyon Ultra Marathon 2025.

Candelaria’s story moved the entire world. On November 25, the Tarahumara woman walked 14 hours from her community in the Sierra Tarahumara to the starting point of the race.

Without a coach, without branded shoes, without supplements, with only his traditional sandals and a bottle of water, he completed the 63 kilometers of brutal terrain in 7 hours and 34 minutes, crossing the finish line in absolute first place among men and women.

The images of Candelaria arriving exhausted but smiling, with her typical dress and bloody feet, went viral in a matter of hours. #RarámuriPower and #CandelariaCampeona reached more than 42 million interactions on social networks, even surpassing Canelo’s fight against Crawford in September.

Canelo Álvarez, who followed the news from his camp in San Diego, did not hesitate for a second.

According to sources close to the Guadalajara team and confirmed by the newspaper El Sol de México, the champion personally transferred the 2 million pesos to an account created by Candelaria’s family, with a message that is now history: «For a true champion of the Mexican people.

“You do lift Mexico, sister.”

The money will be used entirely to change the lives of Candelaria and her community. Part will be used for the education of her three children, another for medical treatments for her sick mother, and the rest to start a small Rarámuri crafts workshop that Candelaria always dreamed of having.

In addition, Canelo included an extra bonus of 500,000 pesos to build a compacted dirt track in his community, so that children can train without hurting their feet.

In a video published on his official Instagram, which already exceeds 28 million views, Canelo appears with the Mexican flag in the background and says: «Candelaria, you are the true champion. What you did cannot be bought with money or titles. That is pure Mexican heart.

This money is little for what you represent. Mexico loves you, I admire you.

Candelaria’s response was heartbreaking. In an interview with Televisa Chihuahua, with tears in his eyes, he said in Rarámuri and Spanish: “I never thought that someone so big would see me. Canelo is not only a champion in the ring, he is a champion of the people.

This money is for my children, so that they never have to walk 14 hours to reach a dream.

The governor of Chihuahua, Maru Campos, announced that she will declare Candelaria “Tarahumara Pride” and will allocate another 3 million pesos from the state government for infrastructure in her community, directly inspired by Canelo’s action.

The Canelo Álvarez Foundation, which has already built more than 20 clinics and schools in marginalized communities, confirmed that Candelaria will be an official ambassador and that the “Huaraches de Campeones” program will be created, which will provide sports scholarships to 500 indigenous girls per year.

The reactions were immediate. Julio César Chávez tweeted: “That’s what it means to be truly Mexican. Canelo, you took off your hat. Óscar de la Hoya wrote: «Total respect, brother. “Candelaria is the real GOAT.” Even Cristiano Ronaldo shared the story with the Mexican flag.

On the networks, #CaneloCorazón and #CandelariaRarámuri became world trends number 1 and 2 for 48 consecutive hours. Thousands of people have started campaigns for Candelaria to be invited as Mexico’s flag bearer at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Canelo Álvarez, who in May will face David Benavidez at the Azteca Stadium before 90,000 people, already has a rival for the most important title of his life: to be the champion who not only wins fights, but also lifts up his people.

Because there are champions who enter the ring with golden gloves… and there are champions who run 63 kilometers barefoot and make an entire country cry.

Candelaria Rivas Ramos and Canelo Álvarez have just shown that, in Mexico, true champions do not need belts to be legends.

Candelaria Rivas Ramos and Canelo Álvarez have just shown that, in Mexico, true champions do not need belts to be legends.

Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, Mexico’s greatest boxer and one of the highest-paid athletes on the planet, has just made the most emotional donation of his career: 2 million pesos (approximately $110,000) to Candelaria Rivas Ramos, the 38-year-old indigenous Rarámuri runner who became a global symbol of resistance after winning the Canyon Ultra Marathon 2025.

Candelaria’s story moved the entire world. On November 25, the Tarahumara woman walked 14 hours from her community in the Sierra Tarahumara to the starting point of the race.