Álvarez defeats Mbilli to reclaim WBC super-middleweight title

Canelo Álvarez reclaimed the WBC super-middleweight title with a unanimous-decision victory over Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, winning on all three judges’ scorecards after 12 rounds. The judges scored the fight 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110 for Álvarez, who handed Mbilli his first professional defeat. Mbilli applied pressure in the early rounds, pushing Álvarez toward the ropes and throwing frequently. Álvarez looked for counterpunches, then found increasing success as the fight progressed. His right uppercut and straight right began landing in the middle rounds, and he used combinations and his jab to control more of the action. A referee deducted a point from Mbilli for hitting the back of Álvarez’s head. Mbilli continued pressing, including in the final round, but Álvarez landed a late right hand that appeared to wobble him. The scorecards gave Álvarez a clear decision, though accounts differed in their assessments of the contest’s quality and how dominant the Mexican fighter was. The result returned Álvarez to the championship ranks after his September 2025 defeat to Terence Crawford, which cost him his undisputed title. The 36-year-old had not fought since that loss....