Canelo Alvarez Confirmed to Face World Champion in Boxing Return

One of boxing’s pound-for-pound biggest stars is back.

Canelo Alvarez hasn’t fought since losing a decision to Terence Crawford in September 2025. Amid rumors of a rematch with Crawford, Alvarez’s next fight is finalized, and he will return to the ring in a title fight in Riyadh in September.

Mike Coppinger of Ring Magazine announced that Alvarez will face the WBC champion at 168 pounds, Christian Mbilli. The 29-0-1 fighter is coming off a draw against Lester Martinez on the undercard of Canelo-Crawford. This will also be Mbilli’s first fight since that card.

‼ BREAKING: Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli have a done deal to fight in September in Riyadh for the WBC super middleweight championship, The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger has learned.

Canelo will attempt to regain a world title in his first fight since his loss to Terence… pic.twitter.com/GFagZYAIMF
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) April 30, 2026

Alvarez is the number one-ranked fighter at 168 pounds in Ring Magazine’s rankings, while Mbilli is third.

Mbilli was elevated from WBC interim champion to WBC champion at super middleweight following Crawford’s retirement and mandatory challenger Hamzah Sheeraz deciding to pursue the WBO title instead.

This announcement comes just one day after Turki Alalshikh called for Crawford to come out of retirement and face Alvarez in a rematch. If Alvarez can win back a title at 168 pounds, there is a greater chance that a rematch between the two takes place.

Canelo Alvarez Didn’t Come Back for a Tune-up Fight

Canelo Alvarez vs Edgar Berlanga — Canelo Alvarez will return against the third ranked fighter at 168 pounds in Ring Magazine's rankings. | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Many times, when an elite-level fighter loses a fight, especially one where they were favored to win, they return to the ring with a “tune-up fight” against an inferior opponent.

But that’s just not how Canelo Alvarez is wired.

Mbilli is one of three current champions at 168 pounds, with the other two being IBF champion Osleys Iglesias and WBA champion Jose Armando Resendiz. Many consider Mbilli to be the best of the three.

Alvarez had many options for a fight in his return to the ring, but decided to take a difficult path to get back on top.

“Mbilli is a really great fight, if it ends up happening,” Alvarez’s trainer Eddy Reynoso told Ring Magazine earlier this week. “We saw the great fight Mbilli had with Lester Martinez, and it would be a great challenge for Canelo. And if Crawford returns, let's make the rematch happen. As a trainer, I can see the modifications that we need to make for the Crawford rematch and for the results to go our way.”

If Canelo is successful in a fight with Mbilli and Crawford stays in retirement, he would likely pursue the other belts at 168 and attempt to become a two-time undisputed champion at 168 pounds.

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