Christian Mbilli believes his chance against Canelo Alvarez has arrived. The WBC champion thinks the Mexican is no longer at his former level.
Christian Mbilli is heading into the most important fight of his career so far with great confidence. On September 12, the WBC super middleweight world champion will face Canelo Alvarez in Riyadh. The Mexican has been the dominant figure in the weight class for years, but Mbilli believes his best days may be behind him. “I think his performance is on the decline, but he’s still very dangerous,” Mbilli said on the Mr. Verzace Podcast. “I think this is the perfect time for me to beat him.”
Mbilli was named the regular WBC champion in December after Terence Crawford was stripped of the title. Most recently, the 31-year-old had only managed a draw in a spectacular fight against Lester Martinez. This time, however, a significantly fresher version of the Cameroon-born Canadian is expected to step into the ring. Before the Martinez bout, Mbilli had very little time to recover following his quick victory over Maciej Sulecki. Against Canelo, Mbilli plans to stick to his trademark style: pressure, pace, and a relentless offensive. “I’m not going to change a thing. I’m going to keep punching from the first second to the last,” he announced. “I hope he’s ready, because it’s going to be an amazing fight for him. I think he’ll regret stepping into the ring.”
Alvarez is stepping back into the ring for the first time since his loss to Crawford. In October, the 35-year-old also had to undergo elbow surgery. Nevertheless, Canelo remains one of the biggest names in the sport and, for Mbilli, the toughest test of his career. The WBC champion, however, believes that his style is exactly what can make the difference. “My aggressiveness, my pressure—he’s never fought anyone who throws as many punches and applies as much pressure as I do,” Mbilli said. “Physically, I want to destroy him.”
Text by Robin Josten