The panorama of the super middleweight division of the World Boxing Council registers the confirmation of its main commitment for the end of the year.

After the postponement of the initial date agreed for September 12, Mexican boxer Saúl Canelo Álvarez confirmed that his fight against Frenchman Christian Mbilli will take place on October 31 in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Resolving personal commitments and returning to the gym

The reasons that motivated the postponement of the fight scheduled for the month of September were linked to situations in the athlete's private sphere. During a conversation with journalist Ariel Helwani, boxer Canelo Álvarez addressed the reasons why he requested to pause the planning of the preparation camp until the situation is resolved with those close to him.

“There were some problems in my family that I needed to solve, but everything is fine now,” declared the former undisputed monarch to Ariel Helwani's space when explaining the pause in his sports calendar. "I am always very disciplined and very organized with my training camps, and at that time I was not ready to start the preparation. That is why I postponed the fight, I needed to take care of my family first. Everything is fine now. I am ready to train, and we will be ready for October 31," the athlete detailed regarding his current status ahead of the start of practices.

The change of date and the pride of the national representation

The modification of the agenda alters the tradition of scheduling commitments during the September national holiday weekend in the United States. However, the decision made by Canelo Álvarez regarding the date in Riyadh does not modify his commitment to represent boxing from his country of origin at any time of the year or at an international venue.

“Yes, there was no problem, because I was not ready to enter the camp,” the athlete clarified in his dialogue with Ariel Helwani about the receptivity of the event organizers. "When it comes to family, first you must take care of the family. But now everything is fine and I am ready to train. Of course I like those dates because they are very important to me. But for me every day is a Mexican day. I feel proud to represent Mexico, my country and my people. Any day is good to fight, especially if it is a big fight," the boxer added in the aforementioned interview.

The path to combat in the Middle East

The official route to finalize this fight began last May, when both fighters met in Egyptian territory to hold the first press conference and promotional confrontation in front of the Pyramids of Giza. After the restructuring of the calendar was announced on June 27, the confirmation of the date by the Mexican corner establishes the formal restart of physical routines.

Regarding the final scenario for the October evening, the event management continues to evaluate the facilities available in the Saudi capital. In this way, for Canelo Álvarez's team, competing outside the traditional settings of Nevada represents an opportunity to compete for the crown of the green and gold organization in a new commercial market.

"We have not yet decided the exact place, but it will be in Riyadh. The venue remains to be defined," concluded the Mexican boxer in his appearance before Ariel Helwani. In this way, Canelo Álvarez's return to the international rings is set for October 31, starting his training camp to challenge Mbilli for the 168-pound championship.