Saul “Canelo” Alvarez has arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for his championship bout with Christian Mbilli. The two fighters clash for the WBC super middleweight title this Saturday, October 31, at The Venue. The card, billed as “Mexico vs The World,” will stream live on DAZN PPV.
- Mexico’s former undisputed champion Canelo (62-3-2, 39 KOs) returns to the ring after losing his undisputed 168-pound title to Terence Crawford last September.
- He looks to dethrone Cameroonian-French champion Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs), who makes the first defense of his WBC title since being elevated to full champion.
- Mbilli initially won the interim belt before being promoted to full champion following Crawford’s retirement.
Canelo arrived in Riyadh with his team on Monday. Mbilli and his team arrived earlier.
Delgado vs Biyarslanov reportedly canceled
The fight card sent out by the promotion on Monday excludes the previously announced bout between Mexico’s Lindolfo Delgado (24-0, 16 KOs) and Canada-based Arthur Biyarslanov (21-0, 17 KOs). The two fighters were scheduled to compete for the vacant IBF super lightweight title.
Biyarslanov, who is managed by Eye of the Tiger, the same team as Mbilli, is already in Riyadh. According to multiple reports, Delgado and his team have declined to travel, citing safety concerns and delays in receiving travel information.
Espinoza faces Blandon, who replaced Parra
A change to the card sees Mexico’s Rafael Espinoza (28-0, 24 KOs) make the fifth defense of his WBO featherweight title against Nicaragua’s Ricardo Blandon (21-6, 14 KOs), who is ranked No. 15 by the WBO. Espinoza was originally scheduled to face Venezuela’s Lorenzo Parra (24-1-1, 18 KOs).
According to the WBO, Parra’s participation was not authorized by the Middle East Professional Boxing Commission.
Current fight card
- Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) vs. Canelo Alvarez (62-3-2, 39 KOs), Mbilli’s WBC super middleweight title
- Jaime Munguia (46-2, 35 KOs) vs. Nikita Zon (12-0-1, 10 KOs), Munguia’s WBA super middleweight title
- Rafael Espinoza (28-0, 24 KOs) vs. Ricardo Blandon (21-6, 14 KOs), Espinoza’s WBO featherweight title
- David Picasso (33-1-1, 18 KOs) vs. Carl Jammes Martin (28-0, 21 KOs), super bantamweight
- Reito Tsutsumi (5-0, 4 KOs) vs. Raymundo Rojas Garcia (16-2, 11 KOs), super featherweight
- Sultan Almohammed (5-0, 4 KOs) vs. Erick Jahir Urvina Villegas (5-2-3, 1 KO), super featherweight
- Bek Nurmaganbet (16-0, 14 KOs) vs. Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez (21-3-1, 10 KOs), super middleweight
- Carlos Emilio Rojo Vazquez (21-0, 8 KOs) vs. Flavius Biea (24-3, 12 KOs), middleweight
- Brayan Leon Salgado (12-0, 9 KOs) vs. Hector Octavio Aguirre Martinez (7-0, 3 KOs), super middleweight