'Improving' Mbilli confident before WBC bout against veteran Canelo
PARIS, France — WBC super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli insists he is at the summit of his form before his long-awaited clash against Mexican superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.
"I'm improving while he's declining," Mbilli told AFP before testing himself against 36-year-old Canelo on October 31 in Riyadh.
"I'm 31 and in peak condition. I also gained experience on the biggest stage during my last fight," Mbilli said of his draw against Guatemala's Lester Martinez on the undercard of the Canelo-Terence Crawford fight last year in Las Vegas.
"So, I believe my entire journey has led me to this moment. Plus, Canelo is 36 now and has over 20 years of professional boxing under his belt.
"Obviously, it's been a long road, and that brings moments of self-doubt.
"I think the fight against Canelo will serve to confirm what we've known for years but what not everyone always wanted to hear."
Cameroon-born French boxer Mbilli first won the interim WBC title by knocking out Poland's Maciej Sulecki in June 2025.
The full WBC belt then became vacant when US boxer Crawford lost the title following a dispute with the World Boxing Council. The WBC elevated Mbilli from interim to full WBC super-middleweight champion in January 2026.
"Sure, I would have gladly taken this fight five years ago, but looking back, I've been improving over the last five years while he's been on the decline. I guess things have a way of working out," added Mbilli.
In 2021, Canelo became the first boxer in history to become the undisputed super middleweight champion, becoming a two-time undisputed super middleweight champion in 2025.
He has won titles in four different divisions, including super middleweight, light middleweight, middleweight and light heavyweight.
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