Christian Mbilli firmly believes in a sensation against Canelo Alvarez. The WBC champion wants to beat the Mexican in September – and become the new superstar of boxing himself.
Christian Mbilli sees the fight against Canelo Alvarez as the biggest opportunity of his career. The unbeaten WBC super middleweight world champion will face the Mexican superstar on September 12 in Riyadh – and is already confidently announcing that he wants to surprise the boxing world. Mbilli has made no secret of the fact that he has admired Canelo for years. That is precisely why a victory against the Mexican would be the ultimate crowning glory for him. “If I beat Canelo, I’ll be the next superstar,” explained the Cameroon-born title holder, who now lives in Canada.
The 31-year-old was promoted to regular WBC champion following Terence Crawford’s win over Alvarez and is now defending his belt directly against the biggest name in the weight class for the first time. Mbilli promises a much stronger version of himself than in his recent controversial draw against Lester Martinez. Canelo, on the other hand, returns to the ring for the first time since his defeat to Crawford. Following elbow surgery, the former pound-for-pound king is now set to return to the top. However, Mbilli believes that his aggressive style and forward pressure could cause problems. For him it is clear: the fight against Canelo is far more than just a title defense – it is the chance of a lifetime.
Text by Robin Josten