Canelo Alvarez‘s first fight since he lost his crown to Terence Crawford in September last year could pose a serious problem for the WBC. The former undisputed champion is set to face the sanctioning body’s reigning 168-pound title holder, Christian Mbilli, on October 31. With uncertainty surrounding whether the fight will take place in the Middle East, discussions are underway to bring it back to the USA.

But the bout could be dealing with something more serious than a venue issue. The concerns surround the anti-doping testing. Against the backdrop of the WBC’s “Clean-Boxing Program,” new reports have raised questions about the status of testing for the Canelo-Mbilli fight, with one of the stakeholders, Saudi Entertainment company SELA, yet to fund the process.

“The Nevada-based Voluntary Anti-Doping Association has not received payment to test either the four-division champion Alvarez, 63-3-2 (39 KOs), or Canada’s Mbilli, 29-0-1 (24 KOs), before their planned October 31 bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” a detailed report from BoxingScene‘s Lance Pugmire revealed.

An official familiar with the matter seemingly provided the information.

When asked about the issue, Richard Schaefer, who advises Canelo, suggested there had been movement on the matter. “That’s a Sela question. Canelo’s ready, willing, and able to test … and my understanding is Sela’s in touch with [VADA],” he told BoxingScene.

The concerns largely stem from the fact that it’s a critical fight that could set the tone for Canelo’s future as he enters the final stretch of his career. It is equally important to his partnership with Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season as they look forward to yet another mega-showdown with the Mexican star.

Beyond those personal stakes, the WBC’s own “Clean-Boxing Program,” lays out the requirements for fighters subject to the program.

“It is mandatory to enroll for the world champion and the first 15 male classified fighters of each division and for the champions and first 5 ranked fighters in women’s boxing; however, yet any boxer can voluntarily enroll in the program,” one of the provisions outlined in the WBC-VADA program reads.

Given that requirement, since Mbilli holds the WBC’s super middleweight championship and Canelo is the No. 1 ranked contender, it becomes important for both fighters to go through the stipulated testing requirement that aligns with the program well in time.

At a personal level, the issue could raise questions given Canelo’s past doping controversy.

Canelo Alvarez’s doping past adds another layer to the story

While Mbilli has yet to be involved in any doping-related issue, the Mexican star found himself embroiled in a controversy back in 2018 after reportedly testing positive for clenbuterol.

As a result, he faced suspension, and his rematch with Gennady Golovkin was delayed. Canelo later attributed the result to contaminated meat and has since participated regularly in VADA testing.

According to the BoxingScene report, an official familiar with the situation revealed Monday that VADA has “not been contacted for this bout as yet,” which conflicts with what Schaefer said.

The advisor, however, maintained, “Everybody is going to be drug-tested, Canelo is training hard, and the fight is going to happen. Everything is fine. It’s going to be an unbelievable fight.”

Schaefer also stated that Canelo has submitted his whereabouts information.

The concerns also stem from the fact that, as BoxingScene reported, specialists have previously indicated that comprehensive VADA programs ideally begin well ahead of the fight. Given the current situation with Canelo-Mbilli, that raises questions about how extensive testing can now be arranged.

In that context, the event could still proceed, potentially with testing handled partly by Saudi authorities.

The fight is already facing uncertainty over the venue. Schaefer dismissed reports of a possible relocation following drone attacks. Meanwhile, SELA and Turki Alalshikh have yet to officially unveil the full card.

A closer look reveals, besides the Canelo-Mbilli fight, the event could feature two additional title fights: Lindolfo Delgado and Arthur Biyarslanov for the vacant IBF light welterweight title and between Rafael Espinoza and Lorenzo Parra for the Espinoza’s WBO featherweight title.

The uncertainty surrounding Canelo-Mbilli comes at a time when the boxing world is already dealing with the fallout from the Anthony Joshua-Tyson Fury situation, adding another potential controversy to the sport’s current landscape.

It’s been over 12 months since Crawford took away all four belts at 168 pounds from Canelo. In that regard, this could be among the final fights of the Mexican legend’s career, who turned 36 this past July.

At no stage would he want to find himself entangled in an unwarranted controversy as he puts the final touches on his legacy.