Canelo Alvarez to fight Christian Mbilli for WBC super‑middleweight title on Sept. 12 in Riyadh

Mexican champion Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez will return to the ring to defend the WBC super‑middleweight title against Cameroon’s Christian Mbilli on 12 September in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The bout, promoted as a "fight of the decade," pits Álvarez’s 63‑3‑2 record against Mbilli, the unbeaten WBC champion with a 29‑1‑0 record.

The fight is part of Saudi Arabia’s Independence‑Day weekend celebrations and follows Álvarez’s loss to Terence Crawford in September 2025, which ended his undisputed reign. Mbilli will seek to defend his belt and cement his standing. A press conference is scheduled for 23 May in Cairo, where both fighters will begin promotion for the highly anticipated event.