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Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez will break one of the most important traditions of his career in 2026: he will not fight during September, the month of the Mexican patriotic holiday. The Mexican was scheduled to face Christian Mbilli on September 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but the bout was postponed and is now expected to take place on October 31. Amidst this change, his opponent launched a harsh criticism toward the Mexican boxer, claiming that "he is already old."
Canelo will return to the ring after suffering a painful defeat last year: the Mexican boxer's last fight was against Terence Crawford in September 2025 and ended in a loss by unanimous decision.
That result marked a significant blow for Saúl Álvarez, as he lost all his super middleweight division belts. Since then, the Mexican has not fought again and had to go through a physical recovery process, including elbow surgery.
Because of this, the matchup against Mbilli is relevant as it represents his return to the ring after more than a year of inactivity.
Why won't Canelo fight in September 2026?
Reports indicate that the date change from September to October was related to Canelo's personal and family matters, as he needed more time before beginning his preparation.
The modification represents a significant change for Mexican fans, who are accustomed to seeing Canelo headline major events during the patriotic month.
When is Canelo Álvarez fighting against Christian Mbilli?
The new date for Canelo Álvarez vs. Christian Mbilli is Saturday, October 31, 2026.
The bout will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; in that encounter, Mbilli will put the World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight championship on the line.
What did Christian Mbilli say about Canelo Álvarez?
The Cameroonian-born fighter pointed out that the 36-year-old Canelo is already aging as a boxer and is not the same fighter he was years ago.
In response to these words, the boxer from Guadalajara was blunt: "Even if I were 50, he couldn't beat me. We are on a completely different level," he declared.
Who is Christian Mbili?
Christian Mbilli is a Cameroonian-French professional boxer and the current WBC super middleweight world champion; he is 31 years old and represented France at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in the middleweight category.
He remains undefeated with 29 victories (the vast majority by knockout) and no losses. Mbilli stands out for being a fighter with a high volume of punches and enormous physical power.
[Publicidad]