Canelo Alvarez beats Mbilli by unanimous decision to regain WBC title

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez regained the World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight title on Saturday, October 31, 2026, beating Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision over 12 rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The judges scored the fight 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110 for the Mexican star. It was the first professional defeat for Mbilli, who had entered the ring as the WBC champion. On the same card, Jaime Munguia defended his WBA title against Nikita Zon, and Rafael Espinoza defended his WBO featherweight title against Ricardo Blandon, according to fight reports.

Canelo Alvarez is one of the most recognisable boxers in the world, and every fight he takes draws a global audience. Mbilli came in as the unbeaten WBC champion. Before the fight, Mbilli had publicly described Alvarez as "very old", a jab at the veteran's age and the idea that his best days were behind him. A wide unanimous decision is a clear answer to that line of criticism. Reports of the fight described Alvarez outboxing Mbilli over the distance.

The scorecards tell the story of the fight. Under boxing's usual scoring system, each of the three judges gives the winner of a round 10 points and the loser 9 or fewer. A card of 117-110 shows that judge had Alvarez winning the large majority of the twelve rounds, while 115-112, the closest card, still had him clearly ahead. All three judges agreeing on the winner is what makes the decision unanimous, leaving no room for the controversy that often follows close fights.

The win also matters for the shape of the division. With the WBC belt back in his hands, Alvarez is again at the centre of the super middleweight picture, and any challenger who wants the most valuable fight in the weight class has to go through him. Before the fight, his trainer and manager, Eddie Reynoso, had named William Scull and Mbilli as the two opponents the team had been considering, so a decision on his next move is likely to come quickly.

The venue is part of the story too. Saturday's card in Riyadh put three world title fights on a single night, the kind of event that has drawn boxing's biggest names to Saudi Arabia.

Short-term: Alvarez returns to the top of the WBC rankings at super middleweight, and attention turns to who he fights next. Mbilli will have to rebuild after losing his unbeaten record and his title.

Long-term: The result extends Alvarez's career at the highest level and keeps him as the main attraction in his division. For Saudi Arabia's boxing promoters, another successful card strengthens Riyadh's role as a hub for the sport's biggest nights.

Who is affected: Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli; other super middleweight contenders hoping for a title shot; promoters and broadcasters; and boxing fans worldwide, including in India, who follow the sport's major events.

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