Canelo Álvarez wins WBC super middleweight title by decision

Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez is a world champion again. On Saturday night in Riyadh, the 36-year-old Mexican fighter won the World Boxing Council super middleweight title by unanimous decision.

Álvarez defeated Christian Mbilli, a French boxer who had never lost a professional fight. The three judges scored the bout 115-112, 116-111, and 117-110 in favor of the Mexican. This victory gives Álvarez a professional record of 64-3-2. Mbilli now stands at 29-1-1.

This was Álvarez’s first fight since he lost his undisputed championship belt to Terence Crawford in September 2025. Many observers wondered if that loss marked the end of his prime. The win against an undefeated opponent answered those questions with a performance that relied on counter-punching and stamina.

The first half of the fight was competitive. Mbilli applied pressure and pushed Álvarez against the ropes. The champion responded with body shots and counters. He began to find his range in the sixth round, landing a right uppercut and a right straight punch.

Álvarez changed the pace in the middle rounds. He made Mbilli answer for every punch, using cleaner impacts to stop the challenger’s advances. At times, Álvarez dropped his hands to invite Mbilli forward, positioning himself to counter from a safe distance.

A right uppercut marked the seventh round, followed by combinations in the eighth. Mbilli’s task became harder when referee Héctor Afu deducted a point for a punch to the back of Álvarez’s neck. In the tenth round, Álvarez’s jab helped him control the action. Mbilli continued to target the body and landed rights in the final round, but Álvarez closed the fight with a strong right hand that staggered the challenger.

Álvarez credited his trainer, Eddy Reynoso, for the strategy. The coach told him to move, box, and keep the jab moving. “He asked to do what ‘Canelo’ does best. And that is what I did,” Álvarez said. When asked if Mbilli surprised him, Álvarez said he expected a strong opponent but felt he limited the challenger’s attack. “It is hard to throw punches at me,” he noted.

After the final bell, Álvarez embraced his trainer in tears. He paid tribute to both Eddy and his father, Chepo Reynoso, who helped shape his career. He told the audience he was proud of his team. He also mentioned his family, who watched from afar. He joked that his wife, who could not attend, told him not to come home without the title. “I won the title,” he emphasized.

Álvarez did not name a next opponent immediately. He said he would rest, continue learning, and keep working hard. On the co-main card, Jaime Munguía retained his WBA super middleweight title with a unanimous decision over Nikita Zon. Munguía recovered from being hurt in the sixth round to win by scores of 117-111, 117-111, and 116-112. Rafael Espinoza retained his WBO flyweight title with a technical knockout of Ricardo Blandón in the third round. Reito Tsutsumi knocked out Raymundo Rojas García in the second round.