Canelo no longer the big star

Canelo Alvarez has penned in a return to the ring for September in Riyadh as he headlines a card sold as “Mexico against the world”.

Alvarez’s opponent for the bout on 12 September is yet to be confirmed but Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has said that he will fight for a world title, almost one year to the day since being stunned by Terence Crawford for the undisputed super-middleweight crown.

The event will take place on the Saturday before Mexican Independence Day and will pit a team headed by Alvarez against fighters from the rest of the world.

“The 12th of September, a big, big, big fight, and this will be the first card for Canelo Promotions,” Alalshikh said.

“It will be named ‘Mexico against the world’. All the fighters from the team of Canelo against the world. And (Alvarez) in the main event (for) a world title, and it will be a surprise in Saudi Arabia.”

Canelo has regularly fought in May but Benavidez has taken that slot so is this the changing of the guards and who should he face in September?

he'll take a few more paydays while setting up his promo company