Canelo Faces Down Mbilli Before Riyadh Title Fight

Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli squared off in Riyadh on Thursday ahead of their WBC middleweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super middleweight title fight Saturday night, with the Mexican star looking to capture the belt in his first outing in over a year.

The two fighters stared each other down following a pre-fight press conference in Saudi Arabia, where Alvarez will challenge for Mbilli's title in a bout reportedly worth $47 million to the former pound-for-pound king, as MMA Mania first reported.

Canelo Dismisses Regional Security Concerns

The Halloween clash takes place as heightened security concerns grip the region, but Alvarez told ESPN his focus never wavered. "I feel very good. I'm happy. My mind has always been on fighting in Saudi Arabia," he said. "Obviously, I heard everything that was being said and all that, but my mind was always focused on fighting in Saudi Arabia."

Alvarez has been training in Spain in preparation for the showdown, his first trip to the Kingdom for a championship fight at middleweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">super middleweight. The 36-year-old enters as the challenger against Mbilli, who holds the WBC strap at 168 pounds.

The fight is scheduled for Saturday, October 31, in Riyadh.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Face Off! Canelo Alvarez, Christian Mbilli staredown video ahead of Halloween title fight in Riyadh