Key points:
- Canelo Alvarez arrived in Riyadh early on Monday, October 26, for his WBC super middleweight title challenge against Christian Mbilli on Saturday
- He says his team, led by Eddy Reynoso, trained in Spain with Oleksandr Usyk’s camp, and he travelled to Riyadh with Usyk
- The card is going ahead even as other Saudi sporting events have been cancelled or postponed over security concerns
- Fight week starts with grand arrivals on Wednesday, October 28, press conferences on Thursday, the ceremonial weigh-in on Friday, and fight night on Saturday
Canelo Alvarez has landed in Riyadh, and says he’s ready.
“I think my body needed that kind of rest, and now I feel like it has been 10 years without fighting so I just can’t wait to step in the ring,” Alvarez, 36, told reporters. He was given a warm welcome by fans at his hotel.
Lessons from Crawford
Alvarez spoke about his September 2025 loss to Terence Crawford. “Little mistakes are the difference between winning and losing,” he said. “I know what I did in the last fight. The week of the fight my mind wasn’t there but things happen, I learn and that’s it, we need to move forward.” He says the title being on the line adds to it: “Step in the ring with a world champion and being a world champion again means a lot for me.”
Team Usyk
Alvarez and his team trained at Usyk’s gym in Valencia. “We learned from the best and Team Usyk helped me a lot,” he said. “We’re going to show that on Saturday.” Usyk travelled with him, in a video posted by DAZN and Turki Alalshikh on Sunday night.
The backdrop
Reuters reports the bout is going ahead even as other sporting events in Saudi Arabia have been cancelled or postponed. Fighting between a Saudi-led coalition and Houthi forces in Yemen has intensified, and the Houthis have attacked Saudi airports, including Riyadh’s main one.
Fight week
According to Alalshikh’s schedule: grand arrivals on Wednesday, October 28, press conferences on Thursday, the ceremonial weigh-in on Friday, and fight night on Saturday, October 31.