Canelo Alvarez: Christian Mbilli 'has to do a lot of things' in the ring to beat me

Ahead of his Oct. 31 title fight against Christian Mbilli, Canelo Alvarez moved his training camp from sunny San Diego to former heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk's gym in Gandia, a coastal city near Valencia, Spain. With the fight taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Canelo (63-3-2, 39 KOs) wanted to train closer to the local time zone. Gandia is just one hour behind Riyadh, compared with the 10-hour time difference between Saudi Arabia and San Diego. Canelo is looking to reclaim the WBC super middleweight title he lost to Terence Crawford in September 2025 and get back to winning ways. In an exclusive interview with ESPN Deportes' editor Ernesto Rodarte at Usyk's gym on Sept. 29, Canelo discussed his upcoming fight, the differences in his training and preparation, and his plans for retirement after more than 20 years in professional boxing. Editor's note: Content has been edited for brevity and clarity. Q: It's been more than a year since you fought Crawford. How are you feeling at this moment? A: Very good. I'm very happy to be back and almost ready to fight. Honestly, I'm very happy to be here in the training process. I really enjoy it, and I'm happy to be getting back in the ring. Q: What has changed from the Canelo we saw in that last fight? A: Obviously, you learn a lot. You learn that at this level, the difference between winning and losing can be very small. Even if you train 100%, if your mind isn't 100% there, that can cause you to lose. That's what I learned. I'm doing well. You can't change the Crawford loss, you have to move forward, learn from it and keep moving forward. Q: How do you feel about the situation in Saudi Arabia and going there for the fight? A: I feel very good. I'm happy. My mind has always been on fighting in Saudi Arabia. Obviously, I heard everything that was being said and all that, but my mind was always focused on fighting in Saudi Arabia. I was training here [Spain] to fight in Saudi Arabia, and whatever happens, we'll see. But I've always been focused on the fact that the fight is there. Q: And talking about the fight, it's not an easy fight against Mbilli. How are you preparing for that fight? A: Very well. We've been working very hard and very deliberately. We know he's a fighter with a lot of stamina who throws a lot of punches. He's a world champion for a reason. But we have the experience, obviously, and we've been working very hard to have the stamina to respond in the same way, using the experience I have. Q: What does Mbilli have to do to surprise you? A: He has to do a lot of things. He's a great fighter, but he's never faced a fighter like myself with my characteristics. Obviously, with the experience I have and having fought at this level for so many years, he has to do a lot. Q: Could this be one of the more demanding fights you've had recently? A: Yes, it could be. We'll see. Q: How did you end up here at the Oleksandr Usyk gym? Why Spain? Did you bring a little bit of Mexico here? A: We bring Mexico with us wherever we go. Wherever I am, I always bring Mexico with me [with music and food]. And obviously, we came here to adapt to the time zone with the Usyk conditioning team, and we've also been learning a lot from them. But more than anything, it's about adapting to the time zone because your body takes about 21 days to adapt to new habits and new schedules, however you want to call it. That's why we decided to come here to train. Q: You recently talked about your retirement. You've mentioned perhaps three or four more fights in the future. How do you see that plan? A: Honestly, I feel very good. I could fight a lot longer considering how I feel and how my body is. Based on the tests I've had and everything, my body is in good shape and I could continue fighting. But I also have other goals outside of boxing. I think I've accomplished everything in boxing -- not much more I can do. But I'm still enjoying the process. I still really enjoy boxing. So we'll see. We'll take it fight by fight. Q: What would have to happen for you to say, "I'm done"? You've already done everything, but when would you say, "I think that's enough"? A: You have to be realistic. If it were up to me, it would never be enough. But I think four or five more fights would be enough. I've already done everything I needed to do in boxing. I've done more than I ever imagined I would. I've done more than I ever dreamed of, so this is a bonus for my career. Q: Looking ahead to the end of your career, would you like to remain involved in the boxing world? A: Honestly, no. The idea isn't to remain in the boxing world. Obviously, if there's someone I need to support, I would be happy to support them, but I don't see myself as a promoter. I don't see myself doing that. Q: What would you miss the most on a Monday after you retire? A: My routine. Being in training and doing all of that. Q: Have you thought about the setting, the opponent? Do you want your last fight to be in Mexico? A: No, I haven't imagined it, but I hope it will be a great memory for me, and yes, I want my last fight to be in Mexico. Q: Recently, you were offered Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. Can you see yourself fighting there or in another venue? A: When I was there as a fan supporting the national team [in the World Cup in June], I was at Estadio Azteca and it's a stadium that gives you an incredible vibe -- a very good feeling. I pictured myself fighting there. For one reason or another, Emilio Azcarraga [chairman of Televisa, owner of the professional football team Club America] wanted to speak with me, so we got in touch, had a Zoom call and discussed the possibility of having a fight there in the future. Yes, I can definitely see myself fighting there.