Canelo Defeats Mbilli: The WBC Title Is Back

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12 rounds, three scorecards and a reclaimed WBC belt: Canelo Álvarez defeated Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision on 31 October 2026 in Riyadh. The scores were 115:112, 116:111 and 117:110. The Mexican boxer is once again world champion at super middleweight after 13 months without a title.

For Canelo, the appearance in Riyadh was more than an ordinary title fight. He had won his first title 16 years ago and captured another WBC belt after 20 to 21 years as a professional boxer. Following the loss of his undisputed title against Terence Crawford, he had made his first appearance as a challenger since 2022.

Canelo Wins the 12 Rounds on the Scorecards

The course of the fight

Mbilli started more mobile and threw significantly more punches, while Canelo initially remained patient and looked for counterattacks. In the second round, the Frenchman found his range with the jab, and Canelo responded with a right hook. In the third round, Canelo increasingly began to settle into the fight but stayed with his routine of targeting the opponent’s body.

In rounds four and five, Mbilli tried to pressure Canelo with a high punch volume and combinations. Canelo, however, blocked and countered precisely, including with a powerful left hook to the body. By round six, the fight was still rather unclear. Then came Canelo’s seventh round: a big right uppercut was the first distinctly painful landed shot of the evening, after which Canelo returned to the body.

In round eight, Mbilli had one round deducted from his score for repeatedly striking the back of Canelo’s head. Canelo even appeared to acknowledge the referee’s decision first. The live blog described the scoring as close at that point and said the deductions could prove decisive. The source does not specify which of the three scorecards included deductions for individual rounds.

Canelo then gradually took control. Mbilli looked tired in round nine, while in round ten he spent much of the fight working from range. In round eleven, Canelo pushed him back with his punch volume without risking a late stoppage. In round twelve, Mbilli found some resistance again with a solid jab. Canelo responded, smiled and waved his opponent forward with a gesture. At the end of 12 rounds, both boxers raised their arms.

The Title Was Emotional for Canelo

His immediate reaction

Immediately after the fight, Canelo was visibly moved. He said: “It is so difficult to explain. It is so difficult to explain.” He then described the moment as completely unimaginable: “It feels like my first title.”

In an interview, he explained that his first title had been 16 years earlier. After 20 or 21 years as a professional, he had now won another title. His words therefore do not sound like an ordinary victory statement, but like the relief of a boxer who has left a long title drought behind him.

He also explicitly named his team. Canelo thanked Eddy Reynoso and Chepo Reynoso, saying they had made him the person he was: “I am so proud, so proud of my team.” He also thanked his family. When the interviewer relayed an anecdote about a wife who had advised him not to return without the title, Canelo responded: “I won this title!”

“I Fought Perfectly” — Canelo’s Assessment

His verdict on the fight

Canelo was asked whether he should have done anything differently. His answer was brief: “No. I fought perfectly.” In a second interview, he said Mbilli had been a strong boxer but had not landed many punches because it is difficult to throw punches against Canelo.

The live blog described Canelo as an economical counterpuncher who increasingly found his way into the fight. Particularly in the second half, his precise counters and clever footwork frustrated the younger champion. This also explains why Canelo did not need a stoppage despite his opponent’s higher punch volume: He was better positioned for long stretches and guarded his landed punches effectively.

Canelo Plans No Long Break

The next step

After winning the title, Canelo announced that he would initially take two weeks off, continue learning and return to work. In a later report, he spoke about returning in roughly two weeks.

The professional boxing landscape offered several possible directions: Osleys Iglesias held the IBF title, Canelo’s fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia held the WBA belt, and Oleksandr Usyk and former WBO champion Hamzah Sheeraz were at ringside. The sources do not state which opponent could be next. What is certain is that Canelo did not want to hold the belt for long, but to box again after a short break.

Ultimately, there is an unequivocal result: Canelo Álvarez defeated Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision, took the WBC super middleweight title from him and declared himself: “I fought perfectly.”