Canelo Alvarez to Challenge Mbilli for WBC Super Middleweight Title in Riyadh

Canelo Alvarez fights WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The bout is broadcast on DAZN PPV at 1 p.m. ET.

Canelo Alvarez is returning to the ring as a title challenger for the first time since facing Dmitry Bivol for the WBA light heavyweight title in May 2022.

Canelo Alvarez enters the bout with a professional record of 63 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws, including 39 knockouts. Christian Mbilli enters with a professional record of 29 wins and 1 draw, including 24 knockouts.

Alvarez has competed in 28 major title fights, winning 25 and losing 3. Mbilli has never fought for a full world title.

Alvarez’s only defeat since the Bivol fight came in September 2025, when he fell by unanimous decision to Terence Crawford.

Mbilli won the WBC interim super middleweight title by defeating Maciej Sulecki in June 2025. His first title defense came in September 2025, a split draw against Lester Martinez. The WBC elevated Mbilli to full super middleweight champion in January after stripping Terence Crawford of the title.

Alvarez is favored to win the fight despite giving up an inch in height and nearly two inches in reach compared to Mbilli.

The odds for Alvarez to win the super middleweight fight are 330. The odds for Mbilli to win in the first three rounds are +10,000, the longest odds for any outcome in the fight.

What are your thoughts on Canelo Alvarez’s challenge to Christian Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight title in Riyadh?