Canelo Alvarez is heading back to the ring!
The former undisputed super middleweight king and boxing superstar is scheduled to face unbeaten contender Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight championship on Sept. 12, 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to an official announcement from The Ring.
The bout will be Canelo Alvarez’s first time back in action since his lopsided defeat to Terence Crawford in September 2025. Crawford outworked the Mexican star across 12 rounds in Las Vegas before later announcing his retirement, ending hopes of a rematch between the two pound-for-pound names.
Now Alvarez turns his attention toward one of the division’s fastest-rising champions.
Canelo Looks To Rebuild After Crawford Defeat
Alvarez enters the fight in unfamiliar territory. The loss to Crawford left him without a major world title and added a third defeat to a career that has stretched across two decades.
Still, the 36-year-old believes the motivation remains unchanged.
“After so many years in this sport, my motivation is still the same: to challenge myself, represent Mexico, and continue building my legacy.”
Alvarez also acknowledged the danger Mbilli brings into the matchup.
“Mbilli is undefeated, and a great fighter, and I respect that. On September 12 in Riyadh, we begin a new chapter with the same discipline, ambition, and vision that has carried me throughout my career.”
A loss in Riyadh would raise serious questions about Alvarez’s future at the elite level. A victory, however, could quickly place him back in the title picture at 168 pounds.
Mbilli Chasing Career-Defining Win
Mbilli has steadily built momentum over the past few years and now finds himself in the biggest fight of his career.
The 31-year-old champion remains unbeaten at 29-0-1 and captured the interim belt with a brutal first-round knockout win over Maciej Sulęcki in June 2025. After Terence Crawford retired and vacated the belt, Christian Mbilli was officially promoted to undisputed champion
Now he gets the chance to defend the belt against one of boxing’s biggest global stars.
“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.”
The event will also continue Riyadh’s growing push into major combat sports cards. Fight week festivities officially begin May 23 in Cairo, Egypt, where the kickoff press conference is expected to take place ahead of the heavyweight clash between Oleksandr Usyk and Rico Verhoeven.
This puts any talk of a Jake Paul showdown on hold
Jake Paul recently teased a future mega fight with Canelo Álvarez. According to Paul, he personally spoke with Canelo and even floated a staggering $200 million offer in an attempt to revive the long-rumored showdown.
While Canelo remains focused on his upcoming championship commitments, Paul claimed the Mexican superstar was at least open to revisiting the idea down the line.
It looks like that fight will have to wait.