Canelo Álvarez has officially reclaimed the WBC super middleweight world championship following a commanding unanimous decision victory over Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The bout served as the main event for the "Mexico vs. The World" showcase, where Álvarez controlled all 12 rounds to hand Mbilli his first career defeat. The judges scored the contest 117-110, 116-111, and 115-112 in favor of the Mexican fighter.
This triumph marks a significant return for Álvarez, who had been absent from the ring for 13 months due to elbow surgery following his loss to Terence Crawford in September 2025. Now standing at 64-3-2 with 39 knockouts, the 36-year-old executed a strategic game plan designed by trainer Eddy Reynoso. According to CompuBox statistics, Álvarez landed 132 power punches compared to Mbilli's 99. Throughout the fight, Álvarez dictated the tempo, taunting his opponent from the ropes in the third round. In the eighth round, referee Hector Afu deducted a point from Mbilli for landing illegal blows.
The victory re-establishes Álvarez as a world champion for the first time since losing his undisputed belts, opening the door to potential future clashes against fighters such as Hamzah Sheeraz, Dmitry Bivol, or David Benavidez. On the undercard, Jaime Munguia successfully defended his WBA super middleweight title against Nikita Zon, while Rafael Espinoza retained his WBO featherweight title over Ricardo Blandon. Despite these Mexican victories, Team World edged Team Mexico with an overall card score of 5-4.
Sources: Hypebeast.