Canelo Alvarez Scheduled to Return September 12 in Riyadh

Canelo Alvarez is scheduled to return to the ring on September 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, though his opponent has not been announced.

The date was confirmed by Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, in a video posted earlier this week alongside Alvarez. Alalshikh said the bout will headline the first event promoted under Canelo Promotions and will be staged during Mexican Independence Day weekend.

“It will be a surprise,” Alalshikh said on social media. “It will be a BIG, big, big fight. Mexico against the world. This will be the first card for Canelo Promotions.”

No weight class has been confirmed. No sanctioning body has been identified. Alalshikh indicated previously that the main event is expected to involve a world title, though no further details were provided.

Alvarez has not fought since his loss to Terence Crawford in September 2025. He underwent elbow surgery shortly after that bout and did not return as initially planned. Crawford later retired, removing the possibility of a rematch and leaving several titles at super middleweight unsettled.

The “Mexico against the world” branding has led to speculation that Alvarez’s opponent will be an international fighter rather than another Mexican contender, though no official guidance has been given. No undercard bouts have been announced.

The September 12 date and Riyadh location are confirmed. The opponent and fight structure remain unannounced.