After teasing Canelo Alvarez’s comeback fight a few weeks ago, The Ring has officially announced that the longtime Mexican superstar will return to the boxing ring to face Christian Mbilli for his WBC Super Middleweight title on Sept. 12, 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Sorry, Jake.
The fight will be Canelo’s first since getting out-classed by Terence Crawford in one of the most anticipated fights ever in Sept. 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, losing via unanimous decision over the course of 12 rounds of pure dominance from “Bud.” With a rematch no longer possible due to Crawford’s decision to retire, Alvarez had to move on to the next best thing in the form of Mbilli.
“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,” he said.
“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, meanwhile, was elevated to undisputed champion after the aforementioned Terence Crawford was stripped of the title. The 31 year-old Cameroonian-French Canadian is undefeated at 29-0-1 and claimed the interim strap by defeating Maciej Sulęcki via first-round knockout in June 2025, earning stoppage win number 24. Now, Mbilli is on the hunt for his biggest win yet against one of the most beloved champions in the history of the sport.
“My last fight was the fight of the year,” said Mbilli. “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.”
As for Canelo, the loss to Crawford was just the third of his storied career spanning two decades. Currently without a major world title, Alvarez is out to reclaim the hardware and get back to his head-hunting ways that made him a fan-favorite. A loss to Mbilli, though, would be disastrous for the Mexican-born champion, and leave him at a crossroads in his career.
The kickoff press conference will go down on Sat., May 23 in Cairo, Egypt as part of the week-long festivities for the upcoming Heavyweight title fight that will see Oleksandr Usyk defend his titles against former world kickboxing champion, Rico Verhoeven.
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