Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez (R) and France’s Christian Mbilli exchange punches during their WBC super middleweight world championship bout in Riyadh early on November 1, 2026. (Photo by Fayez NURELDINE / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Canelo Alvarez proved he’s still one of the best boxers in the world earlier tonight (Sat., Oct. 31, 2026) LIVE on DAZN pay-per-view (PPV) from inside Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, knocking off Christian Mbilli to claim the WBC super middleweight title.
Saturday’s main event clash between Canelo and Mbilli wasn’t the biggest boxing matchup of the year, but it still provided fight fans another chance to see the legendary Mexican star compete. Remember, Canelo is no spring chicken. The 36-year-old legend has been fighting at the highest level for the past 15 years and is undoubtedly on the back end of his storied career. Any opportunity fight fans get to see Canelo in action should be considered a win.
Standing in Canelo’s way of returning to the middleweight win column was Mbilli, who is a younger and larger fighter. The undefeated French champion was looking to prove he’s one of the best in the game, defend his WBC super middleweight title in the process, and add a massive name like Canelo to his boxing mantle. That’s much easier said than done, though, as Canelo is still one of the toughest outs in boxing.
While Mbilli had his moments in this fight it was another classic showcase by Canelo. His shot selection, aggressiveness, and overall in-ring experience were overall too much for Mbilli. Canelo complained about multiple shots to the back of the head as well so that likely threw Mbilli off his game.
In the end, it was Canelo who did more than enough over 12 rounds to capture the unanimous decision win.
