Boxing star Canelo Álvarez set for September comeback fight

Boxing superstar Canelo Álvarez is set to return to the ring in September, where he will face Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight championship in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, according to Mike Coppinger.

Álvarez, who will have been out of action for nearly a year by the time of the fight, is expected to compete in what will be the 69th bout of his professional career, News.Az reports, citing The Sun.

The undercard for the event will reportedly feature a “Mexico vs the world” theme, with additional fights to be announced later.

This will be Álvarez’s first fight since losing his undisputed super middleweight titles to Terence Crawford, who has since retired.

Mbilli, 31, previously held the WBC interim super middleweight title, successfully defending it through two fights in 2025, with his second bout ending in a draw against Lester Martinez. He was later elevated to full champion status in January after a scheduled fight with Britain’s Hamza Sheeraz failed to materialize.

The Cameroon-born fighter remains unbeaten with a professional record of 29-0-1, including 26 knockouts, but the upcoming bout represents the toughest challenge of his career.

Following Crawford’s retirement, the super middleweight division (168 lbs) has become fragmented again, with the world titles now split across multiple holders.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev