The decision at Kingdom Arena
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez reclaimed the WBC super-middleweight title with a unanimous-decision victory over Christian Mbilli on Saturday night at the Kingdom Arena. The judges scored the contest 115-112, 116-111, and 117-110 in favor of the Mexican champion. I watched as the 36-year-old Alvarez used trademark counter-punching and precise body shots to overcome the aggressive French champion. Mbilli entered the fight with 29 wins and one draw. He tried to unsettle Alvarez with a higher volume of punches. One sharp uppercut staggered Mbilli in the seventh round, and the referee later docked Mbilli a point for hitting Alvarez on the back of the head.
Although Mbilli pressured Alvarez during the early stages by peppering him against the ropes, the Mexican fighter remained composed and responded by landing harder shots, including a couple of big right uppercuts in the sixth round. This victory marked a significant comeback for Alvarez, who suffered only the third defeat of his professional career when Terence Crawford outpointed him by unanimous decision in September 2025. The Cameroon-born Mbilli, 31, had previously held the interim title and became the full WBC champion after Crawford left the division. Mbilli’s previous fight ended in a split draw against Lester Martinez. This result improves Alvarez to 64 wins, three defeats, and two draws, while handing Mbilli the first loss of his professional career.
Security tensions and combat details
The bout proceeded despite security concerns in the Saudi capital where the Saudi-led coalition intercepted missiles and drones from Iran-aligned Houthi forces. This tension follows a missile strike on King Khalid International Airport three weeks ago that killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300. Turki al-Sheikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority and one of boxing’s most influential power brokers, said Alvarez personally assured him he would fight in Riyadh this October "no matter what happens." Alvarez told the media, "It’s something unbelievable. It feels like my first title. Now, after 21 years as a professional, 16 years ago I won my first title. Now I won that title again. I’m so proud of my team." His family members could not attend the fight "due to certain circumstances."
I found the fight’s setting unsettling because several international airlines suspended flights to the kingdom amid the mounting threat to civilian aviation, and some events like the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition were cancelled or postponed. Mbilli, who trains in Canada, fought to a split draw against Lester Martinez during the undercard of the Alvarez-Crawford showdown. Mbilli’s previous run of 29 consecutive professional victories ended on Saturday. Alvarez, who had not fought for more than a year, signaled a quick return to training by saying, "I’m going to be a couple of weeks off and then come back."
