Terence Crawford doesn’t seem interested in running it back with Canelo Alvarez. And now, Canelo is moving on without him. After suffering a loss to Crawford last September, Alvarez had been linked to a blockbuster rematch with the Nebraska star. But with those talks going nowhere, that chapter now appears closed.
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Instead, Canelo Alvarez is reportedly set to return to the ring against Christian Mbilli, the reigning WBC super middleweight champion. And, of course, Mbilli’s title is on the line. The update comes from Mike Coppinger of The Ring Magazine, who recently shared details on X about ‘Cinnamon’s’ next move inside the squared circle.
“Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli have signed contracts for their September fight in Riyadh for the WBC super middleweight championship, @ringmagazine has learned,” Coppinger wrote. “The first Canelo-Mbilli face-off will take place in Egypt during Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven fight week.”
Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli have signed contracts for their September fight in Riyadh for the WBC super middleweight championship, @ringmagazine has learned. The first Canelo-Mbilli face-off will take place in Egypt during Oleksandr Usyk vs. Rico Verhoeven fight week.
Canelo Alvarez has long made it a tradition to headline fights during the Cinco de Mayo weekend. But this year, he broke from that routine. Now, reports suggest the former undisputed super middleweight champion is planning a comeback on September 12, a date typically tied to Mexican Independence Day celebrations.
Mbilli, interestingly, won the interim WBC super middleweight title last year. And when Terence Crawford vacated the belt, Mbilli was elevated as the full champion. With the fight, Canelo Alvarez will get the opportunity to get his title back, while Mbilli tries to stop the boxing legend. In any case, one man isn’t happy about Canelo’s next fight.
David Benavidez blasts Canelo Alvarez for fighting Christian Mbilli
David Benavidez isn’t a fan of Canelo. And he has criticized the Mexican legend for several years. So, after he learned about Canelo’s next opponent, it didn’t take him long to lash out. Speaking after a press conference, Benavidez dismissed the matchup entirely.
“Nobody wants to see that s—t,” Benavidez said. “You guys wanna see that? … Who the f—k is Mbilli? I think he would [have] been better off if he would’ve fought Diego Pacheco. Diego Pacheco has a way bigger name than Mbilli.”
Benavidez, who spent years calling out Alvarez without securing a fight, now appears focused on his own path while still criticizing Canelo’s decisions. He shifted attention to his upcoming bout.
“This is a ‘Monster’ weekend… Not only is it a great main event, the whole card is stacked.”
That being said, Canelo Alvarez is finally coming back to the ring. The WBC has set up an easy fight for him to bounce back. But can Mbilli ruin Canelo’s plans?
