- Canelo Alvarez beat Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision in Riyadh, with scores of 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110, to reclaim the WBC super-middleweight title
- Mbilli pushed him early, but Canelo took over from the sixth round with uppercuts, right crosses and counters off the ropes
- My view: it was a deserved win and a proper statement after the Crawford loss, but the referee row will not go away quickly
Canelo Mbilli Ends With The Title Back Where It Belongs
Right then. Canelo Alvarez is a world champion again. He beat Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision in Riyadh on Saturday night, 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110, and he reclaimed the WBC super-middleweight title in the process. It was his first fight since the defeat to Terence Crawford a year ago, so the pressure was real. He handled it.
Canelo vs Mbilli went the way I said it would. I picked Canelo in our fight night guide, and let’s not beat around the bush, this was the night the experience told. The Canelo Mbilli fight was not a classic. It was a champion doing what champions do when the early storm passes.
How The Fight Was Won
Mbilli came out hard. He pressed, he walked Canelo onto the ropes and he made the early rounds uncomfortable. Make no mistake, that was the right plan and he deserves credit for it. The man had never lost as a professional and he fought like it.
The Turn From Round Six In Canelo Mbilli
From the sixth round the fight changed. Canelo started to read the pressure, drop in the uppercuts and land the right cross, and he countered beautifully off the ropes instead of being trapped on them. That is levels. Mbilli kept coming, but he kept walking into the same shots, and the cards reflect it. Canelo Mbilli was close for a spell, then it was not.
The Eighth Round Point
In the eighth the referee, Hector Afu, took a point for a punch to the back of the head. Mbilli’s promoter, Camille Estephan, has since said the referee “seemed like he was influenced” after Canelo gestured to him during an exchange on the ropes. Estephan was careful to add that he cannot know what was in the referee’s mind, and he offered no evidence. I will say it plainly: you cannot build a case on a gesture. Canelo won the fight on the work he did, and a one-point swing does not turn 117-110 into anything else.
To his credit, Estephan also praised Canelo and said Mbilli belongs among the top fighters. I agree. Losing for the first time to Canelo, in Riyadh, over twelve rounds, is not a stain. It is an education.
The Rest Of The Riyadh Card
On the undercard, Jaime Munguia retained his WBA super-middleweight title by unanimous decision. He was nearly stopped by a left uppercut in the sixth round, then took control late. It was a gutsy win and a reminder of how thin the line is at the top of this division.
What Next For Canelo?
After Canelo Mbilli, he says he wants a couple of weeks off and then he will come back. No opponent has been named. My view is simple: he does not need to hide. At 168 he has just shown he can still beat a young, unbeaten, aggressive champion, and he should take the biggest name on offer next. If you know, you know, that is what a legacy fight looks like. For the heavyweight side of the calendar, keep an eye on our Fury vs Joshua preview, because December is shaping up to be huge.