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Canelo Alvarez reclaims world title with victory over Mbilli

Summarised from 7 outlets · 14 reports · Updated 1 Nov, 00:09 · Archive

Canelo Alvarez regained the WBC super-middleweight title he lost to Terence Crawford, defeating Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision in Riyadh.

Canelo Alvarez reclaimed the WBC super-middleweight title with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Christian Mbilli at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh on Saturday night. The judges scored the contest 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110 in the Mexican's favour. It was Alvarez's 64th win from his 69th professional fight and a significant comeback after spending over a year sidelined following his defeat to Terence Crawford.

Alvarez, 36, had lost his undisputed super-middleweight championship to Crawford in September 2023, a loss that cost him all four major titles in the division. Crawford subsequently retired from boxing in December, at which point Mbilli's interim WBC belt was upgraded to full championship status. The Cameroonian, 31, entered Saturday's bout with an unbeaten record of 29 wins and one draw, making this his first title defence.

Alvarez showed his characteristic precision and defensive skill throughout the contest. Mbilli pressed forward with relentless pressure and high-volume punching early on, moving the Mexican into the ropes during the first half of the fight. However, from the sixth round onwards, Alvarez took control, demonstrating sharp counter-punching and varied shot selection with hard right hooks and uppercuts that increasingly unsettled his opponent.

In the seventh round, a sharp uppercut from Alvarez staggered Mbilli. The eighth round saw Mbilli deducted a point by the referee for hitting low. Despite Mbilli's continued aggression in the final rounds, Alvarez pressed forward and landed telling blows, cementing his dominance. He even waved Mbilli forward in invitation late in the contest, signalling his control of the action.

After the victory, an emotional Alvarez struggled to articulate the significance of reclaiming a world title. "It's something unbelievable. It feels like my first title," he said. "Now, after 21 years as a professional, 16 years ago I won my first title. Now I won the title again." He indicated he would take time to rest before planning his next challenge, eyeing a quick return to the ring in the new year.

The fight took place against a backdrop of heightened security concerns in Riyadh. Two days before the bout, Saudi authorities reported intercepting two ballistic missiles over the capital. Earlier in October, a missile strike on King Khalid International Airport killed 13 people and wounded more than 300. The UK Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia. Other sporting events in the kingdom, including the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition, were cancelled or postponed, though the boxing event proceeded as scheduled.

Canelo Alvarez reclaims world title with victory over Mbilli
Image: BBC Sport

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In this story: Canelo Alvarez · Christian Mbilli · Terence Crawford · Riyadh · Saudi Arabia · Mexico · WBC · Houthis

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log