Sports
Canelo Is Champion Again After Outpointing Mbilli in Riyadh
The Mexican star reclaimed the WBC super middleweight title on scorecards of 117-110, 116-111, and 115-112 in his first fight in 13 months.
Canelo Álvarez is a world champion once more after a commanding unanimous-decision win over Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Mexican star reclaimed the WBC super middleweight title on Saturday night, winning on judges' scorecards of 117-110, 116-111, and 115-112 after 12 rounds. The victory improved his record to 64-3-2, while Mbilli suffered his first career defeat, falling to 29-1-1.
It was Canelo's first fight in 13 months, following elbow surgery and his September 2025 loss to Terence Crawford. Rather than rush, the 36-year-old controlled the tempo behind sharp counter-punching, landing 132 power punches to Mbilli's 99 according to CompuBox figures cited in fight coverage.
The turning point came in the eighth round, when Mbilli was docked a point for illegal blows to the back of the head after repeated warnings. From there, Canelo pulled away on the cards and never looked back, capping a return that headlined the 'Mexico vs. The World' showcase.
The undercard also delivered for the home side of the theme, with Jaime Munguia and Rafael Espinoza defending world titles as Team World edged Team Mexico 5-4 overall. No immediate plans for Canelo's next bout have been announced, though a rematch with Crawford and a move up to light heavyweight are among the names already being discussed.
Reporting: Bleacher Report
Spot an error? Orbit News corrects articles promptly and notes the correction in the article. See our Editorial Policy, or flag an error by messaging us on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
