Canelo Álvarez v Christian Mbilli: WBC super-middleweight championship – live buildup

Hello and welcome Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena for tonight’s fight between Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and Christian Mbilli from Riyadh, where one of boxing’s biggest names is attempting to reclaim his place atop the super-middleweight division in circumstances that are anything but ordinary.

For the first time since 2022, Álvarez enters the ring as a challenger. The 36-year-old Mexican superstar, who lost his undisputed championship to Terence Crawford 13 months ago, is seeking to regain the World Boxing Council title against the unbeaten, Cameroon-born Frenchman Mbilli, who has promised to “shock the world” in the biggest fight of his career.

But the backdrop is almost as compelling as the matchup itself. The contest is going ahead despite a wave of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia that have forced the cancellation or postponement of other major events and raised questions about whether the fight could safely take place. After weeks of uncertainty, the fighters are here, the stage is set and the show, remarkably, goes on.

Stay with us for all the buildup, round-by-round coverage and reaction from Riyadh.

Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime here’s a look at Friday’s weigh-in.