Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez already has a date and rival confirmed for his return to the ring. The Mexican boxer will fight on September 12 in Saudi Arabia against Frenchman Christian Mbilli, current WBC absolute super middleweight champion.in a duel that will be played in Riyadh as part of the agreement that Canelo has to fight on the Mexican Independence weekend.
The rival that Canelo will face is not unknown to the Guatemalan public. Mbilli’s most recent fight was precisely against Lester Martínez on September 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, a fight that was recognized as Fight of the Year and that ended in a technical draw with divided cards, keeping both fighters undefeated. Now, the Guatemalan will observe from the outside a fight from which his next rival could emerge, depending on what happens in the ring in Riyadh.
The WBC gave priority to this confrontation over other mandatory defenses, with the aim of achieving a high-level fight. Canelo comes into this fight looking to regain the super middleweight titles he lost to Terence Crawford on September 13, 2025 in Las Vegas, where the American won by unanimous decision and took away the division crowns.
Saudi Arabia as a setting
Promoter Turki Al-Sheikh, who has a million-dollar agreement with Álvarez, confirmed that the event is going ahead despite tensions in the Middle East. “We are finalizing the details of Canelo’s season in Riyadh for September,” noted Al-Sheikh, who also clarified that Saudi Arabia maintains the necessary conditions to host large-scale international events.
The promoter was direct in responding to those who doubted the viability of the event. “Thank God my country is safe and we are happy, even being close to war,” said Al-Sheikh, making it clear that the September 12 card is on and that Saudi Arabia’s sports project does not stop despite the regional circumstances.
The card promises to be one of the most important of the year in world boxing. In addition to Canelo vs. Mbilli, Al-Sheikh announced that he has other high-profile fights planned for the second half of the year, including fights for Anthony Joshua and Ryan Garcia. A night that the boxing world already has marked on its calendar and that will also have Guatemala pending the result, with Lester Martínez observing what happens with his rival and with his sights set on a possible next opportunity.