Boxing
Canelo Álvarez Regains WBC Title With Unanimous Decision Over Christian Mbilli
Álvarez won a unanimous decision over 12 rounds in Riyadh, taking the WBC belt and handing Mbilli his first professional defeat.
Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez reclaimed the WBC super middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday, October 31. The announced scores were 115–112, 116–111 and 117–110 after 12 rounds.
Álvarez, 36, was fighting for the first time since losing to Terence Crawford in September 2025. He improved to 64–3–2 with 39 knockouts. Mbilli, 31, suffered his first professional defeat and left with a 29–1–1 record and 24 knockout wins.
Fight Breakdown
Rounds 1–4: Pressure and Counterpunches
Mbilli pressed forward early, trying to crowd Álvarez near the ropes and sustain combinations. BoxingScene’s Tom Ivers described Álvarez leaning away from those attacks and waiting to counter, including a right hand as Mbilli entered range. The early picture was of Mbilli doing more of the advancing while Álvarez tried to make individual replies count.
Reuters’ Julien Pretot described Mbilli as the more active boxer, with Álvarez answering through counterpunches and accurate body shots. Those replies gave Álvarez opportunities to connect as Mbilli moved into punching range.
Keith Idec reported in The Ring that Álvarez landed lefts to the body as Mbilli advanced in the second and slipped punches while Mbilli maintained the pace in the fourth.
Rounds 5–7: Álvarez Advances
Ivers identified the fifth as a change in direction. Álvarez began advancing, bringing his lead left around Mbilli’s guard and following with the right. As Mbilli answered with more punches at close quarters, Álvarez landed a run of hooks inside.
In the sixth, Idec reported that Álvarez interrupted a rope-side attack with a right.
Mbilli’s trainer, Marc Ramsay, described a deliberately gradual attacking plan. “You can’t be aggressive earlier with Canelo. He carries so much power,” Ramsay told Le Journal de Montréal, in comments translated from French. He said the team wanted Álvarez to expend energy before increasing the pressure, but had hoped for more success from its attacks beginning in the sixth.
Ivers reported an Álvarez right uppercut in the seventh that punished another forward entry.
Round 8: A Combination, an Exit and a Deduction
In the eighth, Álvarez landed a combination and immediately moved out of range, according to Idec.
Referee Héctor Afu deducted one point from Mbilli in the eighth for a punch behind Álvarez’s head. Idec’s report separates that incident from a preceding low-blow warning. The announced final totals include the penalty.
Rounds 9–12: Controlling the Pace
Idec described Álvarez managing the pace and limiting Mbilli’s attacks through the ninth, 10th and 11th. By the 10th, Ivers reported that Álvarez was using his jab and changing targets between head and body; Mbilli was backing away more often.
In the final round, Mbilli landed a right without sustaining the follow-up, Idec reported. Mbilli tried to increase the tempo in the 12th, and Ivers reported an Álvarez uppercut late in that round.
Canelo’s Reaction and Mbilli’s Camp’s Response
“It felt like when I won my first world title,” Álvarez said, translated from Spanish, in a postfight interview with Fight Hub TV. The interviewer had asked about the strength of his celebration after 21 years as a professional. Álvarez also expressed pride in representing Mexico.
Asked about his long association with the Reynosos, Álvarez emphasized their shared rise and family bond.
Mbilli’s promoter, Camille Estephan, disputed the verdict in a telephone interview with Le Journal de Montréal’s Stéphane Cadorette. He believed Mbilli’s pressure and work had earned a different result, an assessment separate from the announced judges’ totals.
Ramsay was disappointed too, saying he considered the fight closer than the cards indicated. His tactical explanation was more specific: Álvarez’s power restricted how quickly Mbilli could increase his attacks, and the anticipated decline in the second half did not arrive.
What Comes Next
Álvarez said he hoped another fight with Crawford could happen, but would continue his career if it did not. He did not announce a next opponent, date or venue in the interview.
Estephan said he would sit down with Mbilli to plan the next stage of his career. He did not announce another bout, leaving Mbilli’s next opponent and date unconfirmed.
Announced Scorecards
| Canelo Álvarez | Christian Mbilli |
|---|---|
| 115 | 112 |
| 116 | 111 |
| 117 | 110 |
Each row is one announced score. No released master score sheet was retrieved; judge-to-total assignments and individual round cards remain unverified. The Ring’s live result report.
Fighter Records After the Bout
| Fighter | Record | Knockout wins |
|---|---|---|
| Saúl Canelo Álvarez | 64–3–2 | 39 |
| Christian Mbilli | 29–1–1 | 24 |
Records show wins–losses–draws. Knockout wins are included in total wins. The Ring.
