Shawn Porter believes Turki Alalshikh has already selected Canelo Alvarez’s next opponent, with the Mexican champion expected to defend his world title against an unbeaten challenger.
The 36-year-old reclaimed the WBC super-middleweight title last Saturday, outpointing Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
That win followed Alvarez’s loss of his undisputed crown to Terence Crawford in September 2025, when Crawford moved up two weight classes and delivered a commanding performance.
Against Mbilli, Canelo appeared firmly in control, negating the challenger’s relentless aggression and preventing him from applying sustained pressure in his first title defense.
The result marked Alvarez’s third fight under his Riyadh Season agreement, after previously defeating William Scull on points and surrendering his four major belts to Crawford.
With one bout left on the four-fight contract, Alvarez is expected to return under Alalshikh’s direction, and the Saudi official is said to favor a showdown with former world champion Hamzah Sheeraz.
The 27-year-old vacated his WBO title in September, shortly after promoter Frank Warren won the purse bid for a mandatory defense against Janibek Alimkhanuly.
Despite being beltless, former two-time world champion Porter suggested on his podcast that Sheeraz, as a Riyadh Season ambassador, is a realistic option to face Canelo in 2027.
“[Alalshikh] is not gonna allow him to get past Hamzah Sheeraz. [He won’t] allow him to take on any other fight.”
While a Canelo matchup could make sense for next year, Sheeraz is expected to complete one more assignment with Queensberry Promotions before testing free agency.
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