Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – October 22, 2026 – Global boxing superstar Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez will make his highly anticipated return to the ring when he challenges undefeated WBC Super Middleweight World Champion Christian M’Billi on Saturday, October 31, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, live worldwide on DAZN PPV.
One of the most accomplished fighters of his generation, Canelo (63-3-2, 39 KOs) returns with his sights set on reclaiming championship gold at 168 pounds. The Mexican icon will face a dangerous challenge in M’Billi (29-0-1, 24 KOs), an unbeaten champion known for his relentless pressure, power and aggressive style.
The fight will air worldwide on DAZN PPV and can be purchased at this link.
Here is what Canelo has to say as he wraps up training camp in Spain:
On Mbilli not fighting anyone like Canelo before…
“I feel great. I don’t know how he [Mbilli] feels, and I don’t really care how he feels. I care about how I feel, and I feel strong and ready to step in the ring again. Mbilli is a great fighter. He’s a tough fighter. He throws a lot of punches, and he’s a champion for a reason. I’m just glad to go face a champion, and I’m ready for that.”
What were your takeaways from the loss to Terence Crawford, and how will that help you for this fight?
“When you lose, you always look back at your mistakes, and at this level, there’s very little between a win and a loss. I did a good job of preparing for that fight, but throughout fight week my mind wasn’t there. I always say, I don’t want to look back on things. Now, I’m going to learn from that [fight] and look towards Mbilli. I think his style is perfect for me to go against and will make for a great fight.”
On if representing Mexico ever feels more like pressure than pride…
“I’m very grateful to represent my country, and I’m very proud to represent Mexico. I never think about the pressure. For me, I feel like I work even better when I have pressure on me. I don’t think about who is saying good or bad things; I’m just very proud to represent my country.”
On how much thought goes into his walkouts…
“I haven’t really thought about it. I’ve been focused 100% on the fight, but yes for me they are very special. It’s always very special to bring a good experience for the fans, and I’m definitely going to look for who is available to walk out with me.”
On if he is the face of boxing and which young fighter he thinks might be next…
“I’m just glad to be here. I love boxing and I’m only focused on that. Whether I am the face of boxing or not, I’m just glad to be here and continue fighting. There are a lot of young fighters and a lot of good talent that always come from Mexico, so we’ll see who that is in the future.”
On how passionate Canelo is about boxing at this stage in his career…
“I love boxing. I enjoy boxing a lot and I always give 100% in the gym because I really love what I do. I’m the kind of person who, if I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it 100%. For me, boxing is my passion.”
On training in Spain with Oleksandr Usyk…
“Oleksandr came over here for two or three days and I enjoyed it a lot. I’m grateful to train with him and I appreciate him letting me train in his gym. I always enjoy the time with him and his team in the gym. When you talk to him a little bit, you realize why he’s a champion. His mentality is everything.”
On the biggest change he’s noticed in boxing during his career…
“I really don’t pay attention to that – I’m just focused on fighting. I’m always focused on the fighting, and obviously there’s been a lot of changes, but I’m not really focused on that.”
Canelo will be joined by a deep lineup of Mexican and international talent, highlighted by several championship bouts and unbeaten contenders. WBA Super Middleweight Champion Jaime Munguia (46-2-0, 35 KOs) will defend his title against unbeaten Russian Nikita Zon (12-0-1, 10 KOs), who is making his first appearance outside his home country. Elsewhere, WBO Featherweight Champion Rafael Espinoza (28-0-0, 24 KOs) will also put his belt on the line against Venezuela’s Lorenzo Parra (24-1-1, 18 KOs), the division’s number-one contender, while Mexico City’s David Picasso (32-1-1, 18 KOs) faces unbeaten Filipino Carl Martin (28-0-0, 21 KOs), the WBO’s top super bantamweight contender, in a highly anticipated clash for the WBC Silver title. Additionally, unbeaten fighters Lindolfo Delgado (24-0-0, 16 KOs) and Arthur Biyarslanov (21-0-0, 17 KOs) square off for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title, while Raymundo Rojas Garcia (16-2-0, 11 KOs) takes on unbeaten Japanese prospect and Ring Magazine ambassador Reito Tsutsumi (5-0-0, 5 KOs). The undercard also features four additional bouts, including Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez vs. Bek Nurmaganbet, Carlos Emiliano Rojo Vazquez vs. Flavius Biea, Hector Aguirre vs. Brayan Leon Salgado and Erick Jahir Villegas vs. Sultan Almohammed.