The omission of Cristiano Ronaldo from Al Nassr's squad for the match against Pajtakor has intensified speculation that the Portuguese forward might attend the boxing card headlined by Saúl Álvarez against Frenchman Christian Mbilli on 31 October in Riyadh. The striker did not travel with the team to Uzbekistan for the AFC Champions League fixture on Monday 2 November, and the club granted him rest following his hat-trick against Al-Khalood in the Saudi Pro League.
- No trip: Cristiano Ronaldo remained in Saudi Arabia while his teammates headed to Uzbekistan for the continental commitment.
- Context: Canelo's fight against Mbilli, for the WBC super middleweight world championship, takes place in the same city where the Portuguese has played since January 2023.
- Unconfirmed: the footballer's presence at the arena has not been confirmed, and access management falls to the card's patron, Turki.
A calendar coincidence that fuels the rumours
Al Nassr's technical decision left the Portuguese attacker in Riyadh just hours before the main event. The Mexican boxer had already arrived at the venue, though the fight had not yet begun when news of the footballer's absence from the AFC Champions League match emerged.
That geographic and date coincidence was enough for versions about a possible appearance by Ronaldo among the guests to circulate. So far, no source linked to the organisers or the Saudi club has confirmed that the player will occupy a seat in the stands.
What Canelo said about his relationship with Ronaldo
Before the event, Saúl Álvarez addressed the bond he maintains with Cristiano Ronaldo. The Mexican acknowledged his closeness to the striker but declined to confirm that the former Real Madrid and Manchester United player would be among those attending his return to the ring.
Canelo explained that his patron Turki is the one responsible for managing access to the event. For that reason, the Portuguese's possible arrival depended on a decision that had not been communicated before the main fight.
The Mexican acknowledged his closeness to the striker, though he did not confirm that the former Real Madrid and Manchester United player will be among the guests for his return to the ring.
A card with Mexican flavour and several belts at stake
The event brings together bouts between Mexican fighters and opponents from other countries, and had already seen activity before Álvarez's presentation against Mbilli. Rafael “Divino” Espinoza retained the WBO featherweight title against Nicaraguan Ricardo Blandón, in a bout that ended when the Central American could not continue after suffering a cut to his face.
The result kept Espinoza as world champion at 126 pounds and represented one of the Mexican victories of the night. By contrast, Raymundo Rojas lost by technical knockout to Japanese fighter Reito Tsutsumi, bringing the total to three defeats for Mexican fighters in the Mexico vs The World series.
The co-main event pits Jaime Munguía against Nikita Zon for the WBA super middleweight championship, ahead of Canelo versus Mbilli for the WBC crown in the same division. The Frenchman represents Álvarez's next opponent at 168 pounds.
Ronaldo's absence from the squad did not confirm his attendance at the fight. It only opened the possibility that he might go to the Riyadh arena, a scenario fans will follow closely while the ring awaits the start of the main event.