Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez is reportedly gearing up for his return to the boxing ring after a year-long absence. According to a recent report by Mike Coppinger of Ring Magazine, Álvarez is expected to face Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight championship this September in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Álvarez’s last appearance in the ring was in September 2025, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Terence Crawford in their undisputed super middleweight championship bout. Following this defeat, he underwent elbow surgery.
Before this loss, the 35-year-old Mexican boxing superstar had an impressive six-fight winning streak, with notable victories against Edgar Berlanga, Gennady Golovkin, and Jermell Charlo. His career record also includes previous losses to Dmitry Bivol in May 2022 and Floyd Mayweather in September 2023. Álvarez boasts a professional record of 62 wins, 3 losses, and 2 draws, with 39 of his victories secured by knockout.
Meanwhile, Christian Mbilli is coming off a draw against Lester Martínez in September 2025. Mbilli, who holds the WBC world championship after Crawford relinquished the title, remains undefeated with a record of 29 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw. The 31-year-old Cameroonian-French fighter has a formidable knockout power, with 24 of his wins coming by way of knockout. His notable victories include those over Maciej Sulecki, Mark Heffron, and Demond Nicholson.
