Canelo Alvarez makes his ring return after more than a year tonight when he challenges WBC super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Mexican star is seeking to reclaim the WBC super-middleweight world title following his defeat to Terence Crawford last September.
Fight timings and venue
The main card is expected to start at around 4pm UK time (12pm ET / 11am CT / 9am CT). Mbilli is scheduled to make his ring walk first at around 8:30pm UK time (4:30pm ET / 3:30pm CT / 1:30pm PT), with Alvarez following immediately after. The first bell should not sound later than this, though it could come earlier if the undercard bouts finish ahead of schedule.
Mbilli, 31, earned the interim belt with a stoppage win over Maciej Sulecki last year, followed by a split draw against Lester Martinez last September. He was later elevated to undisputed champion after Crawford retired. Tonight marks his first title defence.
How to watch in the UK
The event will be streamed live and exclusively on DAZN pay-per-view in the UK at a cost of £24.99. Fans in America can purchase the event for $79.99. Alternatively, viewers can tune in via the DAZN Ultimate tier, priced at £24.99 per month.
Organisers have confirmed the Saudi event will proceed as scheduled despite recent security concerns in Riyadh.
Full fight card
- Canelo Alvarez vs Christian Mbilli
- Jaime Munguia vs Nikita Zon
- Rafael Espinoza vs Ricardo Blandon
- Lindolfo Delgado vs Arthur Biyarslanov
- David Picasso vs Carl Jammes Martin
- Reito Tsutsumi vs Raymundo Rojas Garcia
- Bek Nurmaganbet vs Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez
- Brayan Leon vs Hector Aguirre
- Emiliano Rojo vs Flavius Biea
- Sultan Almohammed vs Erick Jahir Urvina Villegas
Mbilli said of his opponent: "Canelo is very old right now. Canelo is not the same Canelo like 10 year before, five year before. That's normal. This guy has been professional since he was 15 years old. He's not the same Canelo, but he's still dangerous. He's still a good fighter. I think he's top three, top two of the division. He's still a very good boxer. But right now he's getting old. It's a good time for me to fight him."
Alvarez responded: "We know he's a fighter with a lot of stamina who throws a lot of punches. He's a world champion for a reason. But we have the experience, obviously, and we've been working very hard to have the stamina to respond in the same way, using the experience I have."
