Canelo Alvarez to fight Christian Mbilli in Riyadh Oct 31

Nearly a year after his high-profile loss to Terence Crawford, boxing star Canelo Alvarez has opened up about the mental lapses he believes led to his defeat and outlined the final chapter of his career as he prepares for a comeback fight this fall. Alvarez, who lost his undisputed super middleweight titles to Crawford by unanimous decision in September 2025, will return to the ring on October 31, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to face undefeated contender Christian Mbilli for the WBC title.

In a recent interview, Alvarez attributed his loss not to Crawford's skill but to his own lack of focus during fight week. He stated that while his physical preparation was perfect, his mind was distracted by other issues, leaving him mentally unprepared. "I did everything good in the training camp, but my mind wasn't there," Alvarez said. He acknowledged Crawford as a very good and intelligent fighter but said nothing about his opponent's performance surprised him. The defeat was Crawford's final fight before announcing his retirement three months later, a decision Alvarez said surprised him as he had hoped for a rematch.

That rematch will not materialize. Crawford has stated unequivocally...