De La Hoya Calls Canelo a 'Sellout' Over Mbilli Fight in Saudi Arabia

Canelo Alvarez steps into a super-middleweight ring as a challenger for the first time in six years when he faces WBC champion Christian Mbilli in Riyadh on October 31. It's a role reversal for a man carrying a 63-2-2 (39 KO) ledger, and the first time he's gone after a 168lb belt as a non-champion since lifting Callum Smith's WBA (Super) and the vacant WBC strap by unanimous decision in 2020.

The bout marks Canelo's return after losing his throne last September — his most recent outing being a unanimous-decision defeat to Terence Crawford. For Mbilli, nicknamed 'Soilde', this will be his first defence of the WBC title. And Canelo's former promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, has plenty to say about where and when it's happening.

'Sellout' and the Halloween Problem

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, De La Hoya didn't mince words. He branded Canelo a sellout for fighting in Saudi Arabia on a Halloween card rather than in Mexico, arguing the biggest Mexican fighter on the planet should be headlining on the dates that matter to his fanbase. His point: September and May are the historic peaks of the boxing calendar, not a card that lands in the small hours stateside.

De La Hoya went further, questioning how Mbilli even arrived at this stage. He stressed he respects all fighters and Mbilli specifically, but said he genuinely didn't understand how the Frenchman got to a title shot against Canelo. It's a pointed jab at an opponent who, by virtue of holding the WBC belt, now outranks the four-division champion on paper.

What Canelo Actually Wants

Here's the wrinkle in De La Hoya's argument. Canelo has said he wants his eventual retirement fight to take place in Mexico — so the homecoming his former promoter is demanding may simply be being saved for later. That doesn't blunt the criticism about dates and venues, but it suggests the Mexican star hasn't forgotten who built his following.

For now, the numbers tell the story of a shifting hierarchy. Canelo sits at 63-2-2, both losses coming by decision, with 39 stoppages on the record. Mbilli holds the belt and the home advantage of a neutral super-show. Whether De La Hoya's noise means anything come fight night is another matter — but it's set the tone for a late-October bout that already carries legacy weight.