What Flag Does Christian Mbilli Carry? Nationality, Ethnicity, and Religion

Christian Mbilli would one day go on to become the most feared middleweight in the world. A veritable star of the division, over eighty percent of his victories so far have come via knockout. But when ‘Solide’ was born in an impoverished home to his then 15-year-old mother, she couldn’t have imagined in her dreams how drastically their son would change their lives.

Although Mbilli’s journey is still ongoing, he already holds a world title (interim), with a promising future ahead of him. But one cannot talk about Mbilli and all he has achieved without talking about what he has overcome in his life. In this article, we take a look at how Mbilli’s early childhood and the two countries that shaped him into one of the best boxers in the world today.

Where is Christian Mbilli from?

Christian Mbilli’s life started in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, a country on the western coast of Central Africa. Although his mother had him as a teenager, ‘Solide’ has talked about the struggles his mother went through to put food on their table. Since the family didn’t have much money, his mother had to work hard to make ends meet. Although a tough experience, it taught the Cameroon-born middleweight the importance of perseverance.

“I think resilience, as an African growing up in Africa, you automatically have it. You’re obliged when you’re born in a slightly difficult environment. My mother also had a very difficult past, and surely, if she hadn’t been resilient, neither she nor I would be where we are today… She endured the misery of Cameroon to build a life with all the complications it involves,” Mbilli would say of his mother.

His mother made the tough decision of leaving Mbilli in Cameroon while she and her husband went to France. There was paperwork and a lengthy procedure before Mbilli could move to France legally, and the couple set about going through the arduous process.

During this time, Mbilli would move from one relative’s house to another, before he finally got permission to move to France in 2006. While we do not know what his ethnicity is, Mbilli’s first name suggests that he was born into the Christian faith. Whether or not he still practices the faith remains unknown at present.

At the age of 11, Mbilli moved to France. Mbilli would become a French citizen soon after, and would represent France at the Olympics. But things didn’t really click for him at first. The already-well-built African teenager stood out in Montargis, the city he first lived in, upon arrival in France. This made him the target for rowdy teenagers who wanted to prove themselves.

“Truth be told, the neighborhood where I lived was quite challenging. The social level wasn’t high. I had problems, whether it was fights or gaining respect. I didn’t have an older brother to defend me, so I had to do it alone throughout my adaptation,” Mbilli would recall.

Although tested often, Mbilli didn’t back down and already had experience in fighting, using his fists to defend himself. But so far, there was nothing in the way of formal boxing instructions for the French-Cameroonian boxer. That would change with a chance meeting.

How Christian Mbilli went from bullied teenager to French knockout sensation

Like most teenagers growing up in France, Christian Mbilli used to play soccer. Although he was getting into fights on the street, he didn’t consider joining a boxing gym to learn how to fight better. But that changed, as one day the teenage Mbilli ran into a school supervisor on his way to boxing class, who asked the young future-champion to join him.

Mbilli accepted the supervisor’s offer to join because he felt it would help improve his defense. Immediately, he felt at home. The Cameroon-born boxer took to boxing like a fish to water, going on to secure third place at the French Championship just five months after he started training. But more than a sport, boxing was a way for Mbilli to deal with his own issues.

“I am deeply convinced that practicing this sport, either you have issues to resolve within yourself, or it becomes a form of personal therapy… It’s definitely not easy for a young African man to come to the West. You inevitably face difficulties, whether it’s racism, cultural change; there’s this little something that tells you, ‘OK, I have to fight.’ So, it became a therapy,” ‘Solide’ said.

The Yaounde-born fighter went to the 2016 as part of the French contingent, but lost in the third round, and had to return home empty-handed. With his Olympic dreams at an end, Mbilli turned pro in 2017, quickly earning a reputation as a fearsome knockout artist. So far, the French national is undefeated, and about to fight Lester Martinez on the Canelo–Crawford undercard on September 13. The WBC interim middleweight title is on the line, with a real chance to fight the winner of Canelo-Crawford.

Safe to say this will be the most important fight of his career so far, and a moment his whole life and struggles have prepared him for. What do you think about Christian Mbilli’s journey to becoming a boxing star?