Predictions from boxing’s biggest names have been flooding in ahead of Canelo Alvarez’s return this weekend.Alvarez faces Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-welterweight title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in his first fight since going to war with Terence Crawford last year.Canelo is arguably the underdog going into the fightGETTYDespite growing safety concerns and security alerts in the Middle East, with one undercard bout already cancelled, Alvarez can snatch back the WBC crown he dropped to the now-retired Crawford.However, undefeated French-Cameroonian fighter Mbilli, who has 24 KOs in his 30-fight career, stands firmly in the Mexican superstar’s way.Although Alvarez is a big favourite on his return to the sweet science, a few prominent figures in the sport are backing Mbilli to cause an upset.Who is backing Christian Mbilli?Bob Arum – Legendary promoterArum believes Mbilli can cause an upset in Riyadh this weekendGetty“I think it’s the end of the road for Canelo,” Arum told Ring Magazine’s Rick Reeno.“Mbilli is a hell of a fighter. Very tenacious, very confident, and I’m looking for him to beat Canelo.”Paulie Malignaggi – Former world championMalignaggi thinks Mbilli’s pace will cause a 36-year-old Alvarez a lot of problemstalkSPORT“I don’t think Canelo beats Mbilli,” Malignaggi told FightHubTV.“Pace is the worst thing for Canelo. I think Canelo’s more skilled than Mbilli, but I don’t think he should be fighting at a pace like that at 36 years old.“When you couldn’t handle a fast pace in your prime, facing a pace like that at 36 isn’t the smartest thing.”Teddy Atlas – Hall of Fame trainerWhile Atlas didn’t outright predict an Mbilli victory, he said the French-Cameroonian can break down Alvarez in the later roundsGettyAlthough largely sat on the fence in terms of the outcome, Atlas believes Mbilli has a clear path to victory.“I think that [Mbilli] could break [Canelo] down late in the fight with body attacks, mixing in the mix,” Atlas said on The Fight.“Canelo is 36 years old and almost has 70 fights. I think that there is a possibility that he could just start to wear him down and win in that way.“It doesn’t have to be with one punch or anything like that. With Mbilli, in there with an older guy, it has always been about an accumulation of punches.”Who is backing Canelo Alvarez?Terence Crawford – Three-weight undisputed championCrawford, the last man to fight Alvarez in the ring, said Mbilli’s style is tailor-made for the Mexican superstarGetty“I can’t [give Mbilli advice on how to beat Alvarez], because styles make fights,” Crawford told DAZN.“Mbilli’s style is tailor-made for Canelo — he can’t do nothing but press Canelo.“I don’t see him beating Canelo in a boxing match.”Derek Chisora – British heavyweightChisora sees nothing other than an Alvarez win on SaturdayGetty“Any show Canelo is doing is amazing — I’ll be watching it,” Chisora told DAZN.“Canelo will win it.”Devin Haney – WBO welterweight champion“[Mbilli] is a guy who is going to come forward and he is going to be right there for Canelo to let off and do his typical things,” Haney said, speaking to Inside The Ring.“I think it will be easy, he is tailor-made for Canelo. [Mbilli] stands right there in front of you.“Even if Canelo has slipped a bit, I don’t think that Mbilli would be the one to exploit that.“I think that it is a tailor-made fight for Canelo to go in there and look good and look like he is back and he’s reincarnated.“I don’t think Mbilli will test him at all.”Haney agreed with Crawford in terms of Mbilli’s style being ‘tailor-made’ for AlvarezGettyWatch Boxing on DAZN*If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenueSign up to DAZN to access the definitive subscription for boxing fans.Upgrade to DAZN Ultimate from just £24.99/month, guaranteeing access to 185+ fights annually, a minimum of 12 pay-per-views at no extra cost, as well as every Lega Serie A match and other elite football access.Alternatively, DAZN Standard is just £15.99/month, with the caveat you will have to pay for pay-per-view events.Click here to sign up.