Canelo-Mbilli Undercard Official: Munguia, Espinoza and Delgado-Biyarslanov Join Riyadh Card
Canelo Alvarez’s October 31 challenge of WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli now has a full supporting cast. Organizers officially announced the “Mexico vs. Rest of the World” undercard Thursday, adding three more world-title fights to the Riyadh event. Jaime Munguia will make the first defense of his WBA super middleweight title against unbeaten Russian Nikita Zon, while WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza faces mandatory challenger Lorenzo Parra. Lindolfo Delgado and Arthur Biyarslanov will meet for the vacant IBF junior welterweight championship.
The announcement gives the card four world-title fights in all and adds meaningful stakes beneath a main event that already has a major storyline: Canelo enters as the challenger, attempting to reclaim a 168-pound belt after his loss to Terence Crawford. The supporting lineup also includes David Picasso against Carl Martin at super bantamweight and prospect Reito Tsutsumi against Raymundo Rojas.
The most interesting wrinkle may be Munguia’s placement on the card. The WBA had ordered him to face mandatory challenger Bektemir Melikuziev, yet the newly announced opponent is Zon. How that mandatory situation is resolved will be worth watching. For now, the official undercard significantly strengthens the October 31 show and gives boxing fans championship consequences well before Canelo and Mbilli reach the ring.
