What Time Is the Canelo Fight? Canelo Álvarez vs. Christian Mbilli Start Time, Ring Walks and How to Watch

Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez returns to the ring on Saturday, Oct. 31, against unbeaten Frenchman Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the WBC super middleweight title on the line. It is Canelo’s first fight since he lost to Terence Crawford in September 2025, and the whole card streams on DAZN pay-per-view. Because the event takes place in Saudi Arabia, it starts in the afternoon for U.S. viewers, not late at night.

What time is the Canelo fight?

DAZN’s pay-per-view coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) on Saturday, Oct. 31, according to DAZN and Sporting News. The main event ring walks are scheduled for approximately 4:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. PT).

Those times are estimates. DAZN says the timings are “subject to change,” and Sporting News notes the main event start depends on how long the undercard fights last. If early bouts end quickly, Canelo and Mbilli could walk out sooner; long fights could push it later.

There is one discrepancy worth knowing about. ESPN’s U.K. viewing guide, citing DAZN, lists main event ring walks at 9 p.m. GMT. With the U.K. already off summer time and the U.S. still on daylight saving time until Nov. 1, 9 p.m. GMT works out to 5 p.m. ET, half an hour later than the 4:30 p.m. ET figure in DAZN’s U.S. guide. To be safe, plan to tune in by 4:30 p.m. ET.

When does Canelo fight, and where?

The fight is on Saturday, Oct. 31, in Riyadh. Reports differ on the venue name: Sporting News and ESPN list Kingdom Arena, while DAZN’s guides name the ANB Arena. All agree the event is in the Saudi capital.

How can I watch Canelo vs. Mbilli?

The full card is exclusive to DAZN pay-per-view. According to DAZN and Sporting News:

• PPV price: $79.99 in the U.S. (£24.99 in the U.K.).
• DAZN Ultimate: Subscribers to DAZN’s Ultimate tier get the event included instead of paying the one-time PPV fee. Sporting News lists Ultimate at $49.99 a month on a 12-month contract or $449.99 a year.
• Standard DAZN subscription: $24.99 a month on a 12-month contract, $34.99 month-to-month or $249.99 a year, per Sporting News. The PPV is an added cost on these plans.

The DAZN app works on smart TVs, phones, tablets, streaming devices, game consoles and computers. You buy the fight from the boxing section of the app.

Who is Christian Mbilli?

Mbilli is a 31-year-old French fighter with a record of 29-0-1 and 24 knockout wins, according to Sporting News. He was the WBC interim champion until Crawford gave up the belt, which put Mbilli in the champion’s position heading into this fight. His recent wins include victories over Sergiy Derevyanchenko and Maciej Sulecki.

DAZN described Mbilli as a difficult opponent for a Canelo who is coming off 13 months away from the ring.

What is at stake for Canelo Álvarez?

Canelo, 36, is 63-3-2, per Sporting News. The former two-time undisputed super middleweight champion had a six-fight win streak snapped by Crawford in his first fight in Saudi Arabia under a deal with Riyadh Season. A win over Mbilli would put the WBC title back in his hands, which DAZN framed as an attempt to “immediately return to the super middleweight summit.”

Canelo has pushed back on talk that he is past his best. “They say I’m old and this and that, but they’re going to see,” he said, in comments to DAZN reported by Sporting News via Sports Illustrated.

What is on the Canelo vs. Mbilli fight card?

Sporting News lists the following card:

• Christian Mbilli (c) vs. Canelo Álvarez, WBC super middleweight title
• Jaime Munguía vs. Nikita Zon, super middleweights
• Rafael Espinoza (c) vs. Ricardo Blandón, WBO featherweight title
• David Picasso vs. Carl Jammes Martin, featherweights
• Reito Tsutsumi vs. Raymundo Rojas García, super featherweights
• Bek Nurmaganbet vs. Marcos Vázquez Rodríguez, super middleweights
• Brayan León vs. Héctor Aguirre, super middleweights
• Emiliano Rojo vs. Flavius Biea, middleweights
• Sultan Almohammed vs. Erick Jahir Urvina Villegas, super featherweights

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