Mexican superstar Saúl Álvarez will return to the ring on September 12 to face Frenchman Christian Mbilli in Saudi Arabia, in a fight that will mark a new opportunity for the man from Guadalajara to return to the top of world boxing.
The fight was made official this Saturday by the promoter of the French champion, current super middleweight champion of the World Boxing Council.
The fight will have a special meaning for Canelo, who will face a fight as a challenger for the first time since 2022, after losing in September 2025 against the American Terence Crawford in a historic fight also held in Saudi Arabia.
At 35 years old, the Mexican will seek to regain prominence in a division that he dominated for several seasons. Canelo arrives with a professional record of 63 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws, with 39 wins by knockout.
For his part, Mbilli is going through the best moment of his career. The 31-year-old Frenchman won the WBC super middleweight world belt in January after Crawford’s retirement and will now have the most important opportunity of his career against one of the greatest figures in modern boxing.
Mbilli assured that he was prepared for the challenge and promised a spectacular fight.
“Canelo Álvarez is the greatest test of my entire life, a life of effort, perseverance and hard work that has forged me for this moment. On September 12, I promise to inscribe my name in the history of sport by offering a war like you have never seen,” declared the French boxer.
The fight in Saudi Arabia will once again place the Arab country as one of the main venues for major international boxing events, after hosting several high-profile bouts in recent years.
