'Mexico vs. The World' Stars Set the Stage for Showdowns at Riyadh Press Conference Ahead of Saturday’s Fights
Boxers Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and Christian Mbilli expressed confidence in securing victory in their highly anticipated showdown on Saturday, October 31, for the World Boxing Council (WBC) Super Middleweight Title, as part of the seventh edition of Riyadh Season’s “Mexico vs. The World” event. Canelo emphasized that he does not believe in shortcuts and has chosen to face the best in his pursuit of reclaiming the world title, while Mbilli vowed to “shock the world.”
The statements came during the official press conference held Thursday at Boulevard City in Riyadh. The conference was attended by WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán, along with the boxing stars participating in the event, amid a large audience turnout and enthusiastic reactions to the fighters’ statements ahead of fight night at The Venue.
Canelo expressed his happiness at being in Riyadh and his readiness to reclaim the world title, reflecting on his achievements throughout his professional career. “I’m the challenger now, but in my mind, I’ve always been the champion, ever since I was a little kid,” he said. He added that Saturday night would be exceptional and thanked everyone involved in organizing the event.
Canelo revealed that he had chosen to face Mbilli despite being given the opportunity to select any opponent during a meeting with Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and President of the Saudi Boxing Federation Turki bin Abdulmohsen Alalshikh.
Explaining his decision, Canelo said: “I don’t believe in shortcuts. I want to become a world champion again, and that’s why I want to face the best. Mbilli is the world champion.” He reaffirmed his determination to reclaim the world title against an undefeated opponent.
Canelo also spoke about his relationship with Alalshikh, expressing appreciation for his contributions to boxing and its athletes and describing him as a close friend. He recalled the early stages of his professional career and his first world championship, thanking WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán and his late father for their roles in his journey.
For his part, Christian Mbilli expressed strong confidence in his ability to secure victory, confirming that his preparations were complete.
“I’m ready to shock the world,” Mbilli declared, expressing great respect for Canelo’s career and accomplishments while emphasizing that the situation would be different once they entered the ring.
“I have a lot of respect for Canelo and his career, and I congratulate him on everything he has achieved. But inside the ring, it will be a different story, and I’m coming to win,” he added.
When asked whether he could secure a knockout victory, Mbilli replied: “We’ll see. That’s why you shouldn’t miss the fight. There will be some big surprises.”
He revealed that his training camp for the matchup had been the biggest of his professional career and that he had achieved the necessary mental and physical readiness. Mbilli emphasized that maintaining his fighting style and identity inside the ring would be key to securing victory.
Eddy Reynoso, Canelo’s trainer, reflected on the 21st anniversary of the Mexican superstar’s professional debut, which took place on October 29, 2005. Reynoso called on those in attendance to applaud Canelo on the occasion, expressing pride in his achievements throughout his career.
He described Canelo as the most successful Mexican boxer in the sport’s history and expressed confidence in his ability to reclaim the WBC title, which was the first world championship Canelo had won.
“We will prove who the greatest boxer in Mexican history is, and we will celebrate that by winning the world title once again,” Reynoso said.
Mexican boxer Rafael Espinoza also expressed his happiness at participating in the event, describing the opportunity to fight in Saudi Arabia as the fulfillment of a personal dream.
Espinoza revealed that he had completed an intensive training camp in Spain under coach Eddy Reynoso, marking the first time he had trained outside Mexico after previously holding all his training camps in his home country. He explained that the experience allowed him to focus entirely on his preparations and develop new skills that he hopes to demonstrate in his upcoming fight against Nicaragua’s Ricardo Blandon.
Meanwhile, Mexican boxer David Picasso expressed pride in being part of a team that includes Canelo and trainer Eddy Reynoso, describing it as one of the best boxing teams in the world.
Picasso acknowledged that being part of such a team carries significant responsibility whenever he steps into the ring. He expressed his ambition to secure a knockout victory and capture the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Featherweight Title, paving the way for future championship opportunities.
He also voiced confidence that the Mexican boxers participating in the event would secure victories and demonstrate the strength of Mexican boxing to the world.
Several other participating boxers expressed their happiness at being in Riyadh and taking part in the international event, confirming their readiness to deliver performances worthy of the competition.
The press conference concluded with a face-off between the main-event fighters, Canelo and Mbilli. The two stood face to face before photographers amid enthusiastic reactions from the audience.
The fighters exchanged brief remarks, with Mbilli saying, “Good luck. See you Saturday,” to which Canelo replied, “See you Saturday.” The exchange reflected both the competitive atmosphere and mutual respect between the fighters.
Fight week continues today, Friday, October 30, with the ceremonial weigh-in for the participating boxers at Square 2 in Boulevard City at 9:00 PM.
The event will culminate on Saturday, October 31, with nine professional bouts at The Venue, broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
