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.

RIYADH, OCTOBER 2026: His Excellency Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation, today announced the undercard for Canelo Alvarez vs Christian Mbilli, which takes place in Riyadh on October 31 and will be broadcast live on DAZN.

Canelo returns to action a year after his era-defining showdown with Terence Crawford in Las Vegas. The Mexican legend and former undisputed super-middleweight champion will challenge for the WBC title, as he begins the next chapter of his career, following a remarkable reign at super-middleweight that saw him make nine successful defences over almost five years.

In his way, the unbeaten French-Cameroonian champion, making the first defence of his title. Mbilli claimed the interim WBC belt with a victory over Maciej Sulecki in June before being confirmed as full champion in January.

For Mbilli, this bout represents the biggest opportunity of his career to date. The 31-year-old featured on the Canelo-Crawford undercard, where he fought Lester Martinez to a split decision, and will now headline a Riyadh Season event for the first time putting his world title on the line against one of boxing’s biggest stars.

The “Mexico vs Rest of the World” card, sees Canelo joined by several other Mexican fighters, including WBA super-middleweight champion Jaime Munguia (46-2-0), who will defend his title against the unbeaten Russian Nikita Zon (12-0-1). Making his first appearance outside his home country, Zon presents a new challenge for Munguia, who claimed the title in Las Vegas with a victory over Armando Resendiz in May. The fight will mark Munguia’s first defence of the belt.

WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza (28-0-0) will also defend his title against Venezuela’s Lorenzo Parra (24-1-1), the division’s number-one contender. The unbeaten Guadalajara native has successfully retained his belt four times since dethroning Robeisy Ramirez in December 2023, while Parra arrives in Riyadh following an impressive stoppage victory over Elijah Pearce.

Mexico City native David Picasso (32-1-1) faces unbeaten Filipino Carl Martin (28-0-0), the WBO’s number-one super-bantamweight contender, in another significant test for the WBC Silver title holder. Picasso returns to Riyadh following his headline clash with Japanese legend Naoya Inoue last December.

Unbeaten duo Lindolfo Delgado (24-0-0) and Arthur Biyarslanov (21-0-0) will meet for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title. Delgado, who holds the WBO Latino title, looks to become the latest Mexican champion as both fighters make their Riyadh Season debut.

Raymundo Rojas Garcia (16-2-0) will be facing Ring Magazine ambassador Reito Tsutsumi (5-0-0), who has made an impressive start to his professional career in the super-featherweight division, following victory in July on the Joshua vs Prenga undercard in Jeddah.

The remaining four bouts see Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez take on Bek Nurmaganbet, Carlos Emiliano Rojo Vazquez will face Flavius Biea, Hector Aguirre meets Brayan Leon Salgado and Erick Jahir Villegas faces Sultan Almohammed.

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About Riyadh Season

Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year during winter. Since launching in 2019, Riyadh Season has welcomed millions of visitors from around the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting events, immersive attractions, and cultural experiences. The festival has evolved into a global entertainment powerhouse, hosting international boxing championships, WWE events, tennis tournaments, concerts

by global superstars, comedy festivals, fashion showcases, and many more large-scale events across the city.

Following the record-breaking success of Riyadh Season 2024, which surpassed 20 million visitors for the first time, Riyadh Season 2025 continued its rapid growth trajectory, attracting more than 17 million visitors across its latest edition as Riyadh continues to be one of the world’s leading entertainment destinations.

About DAZN

DAZN is the world’s leading sports entertainment platform, streaming more than 140,000 live events annually and available in more than 200 markets worldwide. DAZN is the home of European football, women’s football, boxing and MMA, as well as NFL Game Pass and NHL.TV internationally. The platform features many of the biggest sports and leagues from around the world.

In the United States, DAZN offers fans a portfolio of premium sports content anchored by its position as the global home of boxing, with more than 185 fight nights a year from leading promoters. DAZN also delivers a growing selection of multisport content to U.S. audiences.

DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. Through one built-for-sport platform, fans can watch, play, buy and connect. Live and on-demand sports content is available anywhere, in any language and on any device.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 29, 2026: HE Turki Alalshikh, Chairman
of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), announced that tickets are
now on sale for the “Mexico vs. The World” bout between Mexican star
Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and undefeated Cameroonian-French boxer
Christian Mbilli. The fight will take place on Saturday, October 31, 2026, at
“The Venue” in Riyadh as part of Riyadh Season. The two fighters will
contest the WBC super middleweight title currently held by Mbilli.
Canelo will return to the ring under the “Mexico vs. The World” banner for
the first time since his loss to American boxer Terence Crawford in
September 2025, aiming to reclaim a title he once held.

In the opposite corner, Mbilli will make the first defense of his world title
with an unbeaten record, having fought Lester Martinez to a draw in his
most recent bout. Canelo’s ambition to return to the top will meet Mbilli’s
determination to cement his standing as world champion against the
biggest opponent of his career.

The fight is scheduled to air on DAZN via pay-per-view, with boxing fans
turning their attention to Riyadh for a night that will decide the fate of the
WBC super middleweight title.

The fighters’ records set up a contest between experience and knockout
power. Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez has fought 68 professional bouts, winning 63,
including 39 by knockout, with three losses and two draws.

Christian Mbilli has fought 30 bouts, winning 29, including 24 by knockout,
with one draw and no losses. Neither fighter has ever been knocked out.

Tickets can be booked at: https://webook.com/en/events/the-mexico-vs-the-
world-rs27-tickets-467828.

END

London, May 2026: His Excellency Turki Alalshikh today announced that Canelo
Álvarez will return to the ring on 12th September in Riyadh to face WBC
super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli.

The Mexican legend and former undisputed champion returns to Riyadh with the WBC
title in his sights after a defining run at super-middleweight, including nine successful
defences during a near five-year reign at the top of the division.

The bout marks one year since Canelo’s clash with Terence Crawford in Las Vegas,
which became one of the most-watched boxing events in history, drawing more than
41 million viewers on Netflix.

Mbilli enters the contest as WBC champion following his rise through the ranks, having
claimed the interim title with victory over Maciej Sulecki in June before being upgraded
to full champion in January.

Positioning himself as a dangerous contender in the division, Mbilli carries an unbeaten
record and has featured on the major Riyadh Season card, Canelo vs Crawford.
The press conference will take place in Cairo on Saturday 23rd May at 14:00 local time,
giving the media a chance to see Canelo and Mbilli face-off for the first time.
Canelo said: “After so many years in this sport, my motivation is still the same: to
challenge myself, represent Mexico, and continue building my legacy. Mbilli is
undefeated, and a great fighter, and I respect that. But my focus is always on my
preparation, performance, and giving the fans another great night of boxing. On

September 12 in Riyadh, we begin a new chapter with the same discipline, ambition,
and vision that has carried me throughout my career.”

Mbilli said: “My last fight was the fight of the year. In September, against Canelo
Alvarez, it will be the fight of the decade. And when the fight is over, the world will
witness a historic victory for me.”’

To apply for press conference accreditation, please fill in the form attached here.

About Riyadh Season
Saudi Arabia’s capital embraces one of the world’s biggest entertainment events every year
during winter. Since launching in 2019, Riyadh Season has welcomed millions of visitors from
around the world to experience thousands of concerts, sporting events, immersive attractions,
and cultural experiences. The festival has evolved into a global entertainment powerhouse,
hosting international boxing championships, WWE events, tennis tournaments, concerts by
global superstars, comedy festivals, fashion showcases, and many more large-scale events
across the city.

Following the record-breaking success of Riyadh Season 2024, which surpassed 20 million
visitors for the first time, Riyadh Season 2025 continued its rapid growth trajectory, attracting
more than 17 million visitors across its latest edition as Riyadh continues to be one of the
world’s leading entertainment destinations.