Saul “Canelo” Alvarez reclaimed the WBC super-middleweight championship with a unanimous-decision victory over the previously unbeaten Christian Mbilli at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Saturday night.
Fighting for the first time in more than a year, the 36-year-old Mexican star utilized his trademark counter-punching and precise body shots to fend off the aggressive French challenger. The ringside judges scored the contest 115-112, 116-111, and 117-110 in favor of Alvarez, improving his professional record to 64 wins, three defeats, and two draws.
“It’s something unbelievable. It feels like my first title. Now, after 21 years as a professional, 16 years ago I won my first title. Now I won that title again. I’m so proud of my team,” Alvarez said in English after the bout. “I love boxing. That’s why I’m here, because I still love boxing and I enjoy it a lot.”
Mbilli, 31, entered the ring with a record of 29 wins and one draw, having been elevated to full WBC champion following Terence Crawford’s departure from the division. The Cameroon-born boxer attempted to unsettle Alvarez through relentless pressure and a high punch volume, but Alvarez landed cleaner, more effective blows, highlighted by a sharp uppercut that staggered Mbilli in the seventh round. The defeat marked the first professional loss of Mbilli’s career.
The championship bout proceeded despite heightened security concerns in the Saudi capital following a week of intercepted missiles and drones launched by Iran-aligned Houthi forces. The security situation had prompted the cancellation or postponement of several other events in the kingdom, including the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition, and followed a missile strike three weeks prior at King Khalid International Airport that killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300.
Turki al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, stated earlier in the month that Alvarez had personally committed to honoring the bout despite the unrest. “Canelo reached out and told me he’ll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens,” Al-Sheikh posted on social media. “He fears nothing.”
Alvarez made an oblique reference to the tense environment during his post-fight remarks, offering thanks to family members watching from a distance rather than ringside. “I also want to thank my family, who are watching me from afar today for the first time,” he said in Spanish, mentioning his siblings, parents, children, and wife. “Who also couldn’t make it due to certain circumstances.”
The victory marks a notable bounce-back for Alvarez, who suffered only the third defeat of his career when Crawford outpointed him by unanimous decision in September 2025, costing him his undisputed super-middleweight crown.
