Canelo álvarez is expected to return to the ring in September after months away following elbow surgery, with a reported fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and the WBC super middleweight title on the line. The Ring reported Thursday, April 30, that the 35-year-old Mexican star will fight again in September, ending a stretch in which he did not appear in May as he had in previous years.
The reported opponent is Christian Mbilli, a 30-year-old boxer born in Cameroon who later became a French national. Mbilli won the WBC super middleweight title in January and brings an unbeaten record of 29 wins, 24 by knockout, and one draw into the bout, if it goes ahead. Álvarez, whose record stands at 63 wins, two draws and three losses, lost the super middleweight titles when he was beaten by unanimous decision by Terence Crawford in Las Vegas on September 13. He then underwent surgery for a codo injury and completed a slow rehabilitation process.
The timing would mark a change for Álvarez, who has long been a fixture in May and had been out of action while recovering. The reported return also comes after the loss that stripped him of his super middleweight belts, making the September bout more than a comeback date. It would be the first chance for Álvarez to try to reestablish himself in the division after seven months away.
There is still some uncertainty over the exact date. The fight was initially said to be on Saturday, September 12, and September 19 is also being considered as a tentative date. That leaves the basic shape of the plan in place, but the final night on the calendar remains unsettled.
For Mbilli, a title defense against one of boxing’s biggest names would be the defining test of his unbeaten run. For Álvarez, it would be a direct shot at reclaiming relevance in a division he no longer controls. More on Mbilli’s title opportunity can be found in this report: Christian Mbilli gets Canelo Alvarez title shot after Crawford loss.
