Canelo Alvarez returns for the first time in over a year later TODAY (Sat., Oct. 31, 2026) in an attempt to add another world title to his mantle when he takes on current WBC interim super middleweight champion, Christian Mbilli, inside Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
It will be Canelo’s first fight sincelosing all of his titles to Terence Crawford last year, which was just the third defeat of his storied combat career. Now, the face of boxing is out to remind everyone why he earned that title by
delivering another epic championship performance on DAZN PPV.
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CANELO VS. MBILLI CHEAT SHEET
What boxing event is on tonight? Canelo vs. Mbilli: ‘Mexico vs. The World’
Who is fighting at Canelo vs. Mbilli: Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli interim WBC super middleweight championship fight the 12-round main event.
What time does Canelo vs. Mbilli start? TODAY (Sat., Oct. 31, 2026), with “Prelims” beginning at 10 a.m. ET on YouTube.
Where will Canelo vs. Mbilli take place? Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
How can I watch Canelo vs. Mbilli? “Prelims” beginning at 10 a.m. ET on YouTube, with the main card starting at 2 p.m. ET on DAZN PPV.
How do I bet on Canelo vs. Mbilli? Checkout the latest lines at DraftKings.com.
Where can I get Canelo vs. Mbilli updates and results? Get full Canelo vs. Mbilli play-by-play updates and live coverage here!
Canelo Alvarez has gotten some flackfor his decision to carry on with his title fight against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh as Saudi Arabia is currently under attack, as “hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including attacks on civilian airports and other critical infrastructure resulting in civilian casualties and severe travel disruptions,” according to the U.S. Embassy. That’s becausehe “fears nothing” according to Turki Al-Sheikh. As for the fight itself, Alvarez is still going strong and wants to get back in the win column and win another strap following his tough loss to Terence Crawford — the third defeat of his career. He is currently without a belt, but at this stage of his career he probably doesn’t care as much about title or money, but rather leaving behind a great legacy as his career potentially winds down. That said, he is getting paid a hefty sum for his bout against Mbilli, so perhaps that is why he has no issues taking the risky trip to Riyadh. Alvarez has long been the face of boxing, but he can not afford another loss here. We have seen it in the past, a fighter sticks around for too long, starts taking losses and his legacy is tarnished. He isn’t overlooking Mbilli but he has gone on recordthat there is simply no way he can lose this fight. And while bookies may agree, Alvarez has to be on point to prevent a huge upset and his second straight loss.
As for Mbilli, he has a huge opportunity at hand to not only lock down a mega payday, but he can secure the biggest win of his career that will truly put him on the map. While talented and undefeated at 29-0-1, Mbilli isn’t exactly a name that jumps out at anyone because he has not been involved in major fights against top names. Of course, facing Alvarez changes all of that. And while most are not giving him a chance to win the fight, he has proven to have the skills to get this opportunity after winning the interim strap in 2025. While many also view this as Canelo taking the “easy” fight, it’s far from that because Mbilli is very talented and has the power that has helped him lock down 24 knockouts. He has a great jab and footwork, but it pales in comparison to that of Canelo’s, who often does not get the credit he deserves for his defense since his power-punches usually take all of the glory. The key for Mbilli is to always keep moving and not stand directly in front of Canelo because if he lands a clean one it could be all over for him before he knows what hit him.
How The Undercard Looks:
David Picasso (33-1-1) vs. Carl Jammes Martin (28-0)
This is one of the most interesting undercard matchups because both fighters have legitimate ambitions of becoming world champions. Picasso is known as a technical pressure boxer and overall a well-rounded fighter who likes to put combinations together. He has experience against quality opposition including a loss to pound-for-pound great, Nayo Inoue. He knows how to manage distance and play the long and patient game to get the win. As for Martin, he is an aggressive pressure fighter and puncher, and the Filipino fighter as yet to taste defeat at 28-0 with 21 knockouts. He packs serious punching power and throws aggressive combinations that can hurt you in more ways than one. He has great forward pressure and has the ability to hurt opponents with both hands. That said, he can be overly aggressive so he needs to be careful against Picasso’s combinations.
Reito Tsutsumi (5-0) vs. Raymundo Rojas Garcia (6-2)
In a 130-pound bout, Reito Tsutsumi battles Raymundo Rojas Garcia. Tsutsumi is a developing technical boxer-puncher at just 24 years of age. The Japanese standout has good offensive instincts as well as speed and athleticism. He has the ability to put opponents under pressure and swarm them with his offensive attack. That said, he has only five fights as a pro so far, so it remains to be seen if he has what it takes to make a move to get the chance to play with the big boys of the division. To that end, the same can be said for Garcia, who has only eight fights to his name so far. His challenge will be dealing with a younger opponent who is still developing and looking to make a statement.
Bek Nurmaganbet (16-0) vs. Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez (21-3-1)
Nurmaganbet is an unbeaten Kazakhstani fighter with a strong amateur boxing background with 14 knockouts as a pro. He has technical fundamentals, good punching accuracy and the ability to control distance. He also possess solid combination punching. He has the advantage of being the more established prospect of the two with a perfect professional record. As for Rodriguez, he is an experienced Mexican fighter who can put the pressure and can fight under it very well, too. He loves to make fights physically uncomfortable, but he will find it tough to deal with Nurmaganbet’s technical ability.
Brayan Leon (12-0) vs. Hector Octavio Aguirre Martinez (7-0)
In a battle of undefeated fighters, Leon takes on Martinez in another hard-hitting super middleweight bout. Leon is a Cuban boxer with a more extensive professional resume and more experience. He is pretty solid everywhere, though he can utilize the jab to get the advantage early. He has nine knockouts to his name, so he can make his foes pay once he starts to get his combos working to his advantage. As for Martinez, he is a developing Mexican prospect who has just three knockouts. He has the opportunity here to establish himself against a more experienced opponent. The biggest question is whether he can handle Leon’s experience and technical approach. If he can be the one to dictate the pressure, he has a good chance to get a win here.
Sultan Almohammed (5-0) vs. Erick Urvina Villegas (4-2-2)
In an intriguing 130-pound bout, Almohammed will put his undefeated record (5-0) against Villegas. Almohammed is still a developing Saudi prospect who will be enjoying home court advantage. He has four knockouts in five wins, and has proven to be a speedy puncher with great defensive tactics which makes him a hard target to hit. As for Villegas, he does has experienced professional setbacks which includes two tough losses to go along with two draws so early in his career. That said, he is the more experienced of the two so it remains to be seen if he can use that slight advantage in his favor. The challenge is whether he can capitalize on Sultan’s relative lack of experience. Muhammed needs to stay composed, establish his jab, and use his athletic ability in case Villegas tries to make it uncomfortable for him.
Who Needs A Win Badly:
Carlos Emiliano Rojo Vazquez (20-0 ) vs. Flavius Biea (24-3)
Flavius Biea is the fighter who needs a win the most since he is currently on a two-fight losing streak. He is a very experienced European boxer and is used to dealing with different styles. He knows how to manage a fight over multiple rounds and has shown he can overcome adversity, though his biggest advantage could be his experience rather than raw athleticism. All of that said, he needs to be on point if he wants to be the first to hand Vazquez a defeat. Vazquez has the opportunity to establish himself against an experienced opponent. If he can secure his ninth knockout, he can put Biea in a very tough pickle moving forward with three straight losses.
Interest Level: 8.5/10
Jaime Munguia (46-2) vs. Nikita Zone (12-0-1)
In the co-main event of the evening, Mexico’s Jaime Munguia will defend his WBO super middleweight title against against Russian slugger, Nikita Zon, in what is sure-to-be a hard-hitting war. Munguia has long been known as an aggressive combination puncher who is usually the physically stronger fighter who likes to overwhelm opponents with combinations. His is excellent punching volume, and his style consisted of a good dosage of heavy hooks and uppercuts with strong body punching. To top it off he has good durability and experience against elite competition, including taking Canelo Alvarez the distance. That said, his weakness is defensive discipline as he sometimes he gets too comfortable throwing combinations and forgets about what’s coming back, leaving him open to take big shots.
As for Zon, he is a southpaw boxer who is an interesting opponent for Munguia because he’s unbeaten at 12-0-1 and has legitimate finishing power. As a Southpaw he has proven to have a powerful left hand with excellent body strikes. He can put combos together very well, and he has just enough power to make his foes pay for the slightest mistakes though he has yet to secure a knockout win. The biggest question of his career is whether he’s faced opposition at Munguia’s level. And the short answer is: he has not. That said he has the chance to pull off the biggest win of his career here but trying to overcome Munguia’s experience is going to be a tough task to say the least.
Rafael Espinoza (28-0) vs. Ricardo Blandon (21-6)
In the third of three title fights on this card, Rafael Espinoza will put his WBO featherweight title up against Ricardo Blandon. Espinoza comes in with 24 knockouts on his resume and is a tall pressure boxer with excellent reach and volume. He is a very unusual featherweight because of his height and reach and has excellent physical dimensions for 126 pounds. He obviously has a long jab, but he also carries with him heavy punches and is known for high-volume combinations and strong finish ability. He can fight at distance, but he’s also comfortable making fights physical.
As for Blandon, he is an aggressive puncher with 14 knockouts on his resume, which means he has the power to make opponents respect him. His problem is the level of competition. He’s coming in as a replacement opponent and has a significant experience disadvantage against a world champion. He will have to establish his jab, and use his reach advantage to control the range.
This event should provide plenty of fireworks, though you will have to get up early to catch all of the action. That said, it gives everyone enough time to watch some good scraps and get dressed up in your best costume for the first Halloween to take place on a Saturday in the last six years. After today, the next one will come in 2037.
Enjoy the fights!
Full Canelo vs. Mbilli Fight Card:
Canelo vs. Mbilli Main Event on DAZN PPV
168 lbs.: Canelo Alvarez (29-0-1) vs. Christian Mbilli (29-0-1) for Mbilli’s WBC Super Middleweight title
Canelo vs. Mbilli Undercard on DAZN PPV and YouTube
168 lbs.: Jaime Munguia (46-2) vs. Nikita Zon (12-0-1) for Munguia’s WBO super middleweight title
126 lbs.: Rafael Espinoza (28-0) vs. Ricardo Blandon (21-6) for Espinoza’s WBO featherweight title
122 lbs.: David Picasso (33-1-1) vs. Carl Jammes Martin (28-0)
130 lbs.: Reito Tsutsumi (5-0) vs. Raymundo Rojas Garcia (6-2)
168 lbs.: Bek Nurmaganbet (16-0) vs. Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez (21-3-1)
160 lbs.: Carlos Emiliano Rojo Vazquez (20-0 ) vs. Flavius Biea (24-3)
168 lbs.: Brayan Leon (12-0) vs. Hector Octavio Aguirre Martinez (7-0)
130 lbs.: Sultan Almohammed (5-0) vs. Erick Urvina Villegas (4-2-2)
