Mbilli backs peak form to dethrone Canelo in Riyadh

WBC super-middleweight champion Christian Mbilli believes he is reaching the peak of his career as he prepares to face Mexican superstar Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in Riyadh on 31 October.

Mbilli, 31, told AFP that he is improving while the four-division world champion is beginning to decline as they prepare for their long-awaited clash.

“I’m improving while he’s declining,” Mbilli said.

The Cameroon-born Frenchman said his draw against Guatemala’s Lester Martinez on the undercard of Canelo’s fight against Terence Crawford in Las Vegas last year gave him valuable experience on boxing’s biggest stage.

“I’m 31 and in peak condition. I also gained experience on the biggest stage during my last fight,” Mbilli said.

He won the interim WBC super-middleweight title by stopping Poland’s Maciej Sulecki in June 2025 before being elevated to full champion in January 2026 after the belt became vacant, SuperSport reports.

Mbilli said his progression over the past five years had prepared him for the opportunity against Canelo.

“Sure, I would have gladly taken this fight five years ago, but looking back, I’ve been improving over the last five years while he’s been on the decline. I guess things have a way of working out,” he said.

Canelo became the first undisputed super-middleweight champion in 2021 and regained undisputed status in the division in 2025. He has also held world titles at light-middleweight, middleweight and light-heavyweight.

Mbilli said the fight represented a chance to demonstrate whether his long-held belief in his own ability could be confirmed at the highest level.

“I think the fight against Canelo will serve to confirm what we’ve known for years but what not everyone always wanted to hear,” he said.