“Canelo Álvarez will return to the ring on September 12 in Riyadh to face WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli,” said Turki Alalshikh.
The fight comes one year after Canelo’s loss to Terence Crawford in Las Vegas, a Netflix event that reportedly drew more than 41 million viewers. Before that loss, Canelo spent years at the top of the division, recording nine successful super middleweight title defenses during his undisputed championship run.
Mbilli enters as the undefeated WBC champion after first winning the interim belt against Maciej Sulecki before being elevated to full champion later in January. The French-Cameroonian contender has steadily risen through the ranks and now enters a title fight against one of boxing’s biggest names.
“After so many years in this sport, my motivation is still the same: to challenge myself, represent Mexico and continue to build my legacy,” Canelo said. “Mbilli is undefeated, and a great fighter, and I respect that.”
Canelo also made it clear that his preparation remains unchanged despite the stage and opponent.
“My focus is always on my preparation, performance and giving the fans another great night of boxing,” Canelo said. “On September 12 in Riyadh, we begin a new chapter with the same discipline, ambition and vision that have carried me throughout my career.”
Mbilli leaned on the scale of the event and the attention surrounding the game.
“My last fight was the fight of the year,” Mbilli said. “In September, against Canelo Alvarez, it will be the fight of the decade.”
“And when the battle is over, the world will see a historic victory for me,” he added.
A press conference is scheduled for May 23 in Cairo, where both fighters are expected to meet face to face in public for the first time since the fight became official.
The announcement ends weeks of speculation about Canelo’s next opponent and gives Mbilli the highest profile fight of his career against one of the biggest names in the sport.
