By Joiner Martínez
The boxing calendar in the month of September begins to take shape with one of the most relevant announcements of the year: Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez will face the undefeated Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 12.
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In a fight that will put the World Boxing Council super middleweight championship held by the European at stake.
The fight represents a turning point for the Mexican, who will return to the ring after the defeat suffered in September 2025 against Terence Crawford in Las Vegas.
That fall meant a major blow to his reign at 168 pounds, a division in which he had dominated for years. Now, the man from Guadalajara will have the opportunity to recover a world belt in a scenario that is familiar to him now that he had already performed in the Middle East in May 2025.
‼ BREAKING: Canelo Alvarez and Christian Mbilli enjoy a completed deal to fight in September in Riyadh for the WBC sizable middleweight championship, The Ring’s @MikeCoppinger has learned.
Canelo will strive to come by a world title in his first fight since his loss to Terence… pic.twitter.com/GFagZYAIMF
— Ring Journal (@ringmagazine) April 30, 2026
Who is Christian Mbilli?
Christian Mbilli, nicknamed Solide, is a fighter born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, in 1995, who represents France and develops his professional career in Montreal, Canada.
With a record of 29 wins, no losses and one draw, he has become one of the most dangerous exponents of super middleweight.
His style is distinguished by constant pressure, high volume of blows and an offensive approach that leads him to dominate the rhythm of the fights.. He is not a speculative boxer: his proposal is to go forward and wear down his rivals, a characteristic that has allowed him to accumulate a high percentage of wins by knockout.
Before establishing himself as a professional, Mbilli had an outstanding amateur stage that included his participation in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games representing France.
Since then, his growth has been sustained, leading events in Canada and positioning himself as a mandatory contender at 168 pounds.
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