The face of contemporary boxing is coming back — and he’s doing it on his own stage. His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has officially announced that former undisputed super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez will return to the ring on September 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, headlining a blockbuster card themed “Mexico against The World.”
‼️ BREAKING: Canelo to return in September ‼️
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh declares that Canelo Alvarez will return on September twelfth in a “Mexico against The World” card under his inaugural Canelo Promotions banner in Riyadh 👏 pic.twitter.com/d2objGc2yp
— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) January 15, 2026
This event will mark the debut of Canelo Promotions, Alvarez’s long-awaited promotional banner, signaling the Mexican icon’s evolution from global superstar to full-fledged promoter. The timing and tone of the announcement underline what’s becoming a transparent mission for each Alalshikh and Alvarez — to show Riyadh into the game’s recent capital of spectacle, where boxing history and global entertainment intersect.
While no opponent has yet been confirmed, speculation is swirling that Canelo could face certainly one of several international stars. British standouts like John Ryder and Callum Smith have already shared the ring with him, but names equivalent to David Benavidez, remains to be probably the most intriguing name that many fans and pundits would like to see come to fruition.
For Alvarez, this comeback represents greater than just one other payday or title defense. After months of silence following his loss to Terence Crawford and rumors surrounding his next move, the 33-year-old is now leveraging his status to expand his empire. His working relationship with Alalshikh and Riyadh Season aligns perfectly with the town’s massive investment into global sporting events — an effort that has already brought luminaries like Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and Oleksandr Usyk to the Saudi stage.
The date — September twelfth, the eve of Mexican Independence Day weekend — is one other powerful statement. Traditionally, that weekend belongs to Canelo within the boxing calendar, a symbolic nod to his country’s wealthy fighting heritage.
If all goes to plan, “Mexico against The World” could possibly be certainly one of the 12 months’s biggest boxing spectacles — a gathering of legacy, nationalism, and global sports power. And with Canelo at the middle of all of it, his return guarantees greater than fireworks — it guarantees history.