Canelo defeats Christian Mbilli to regain WBC super-middleweight belt

Canelo defeats Christian Mbilli in firefight

Canelo dethroned Christian Mbilli to regain one of the titles he lost to Terence Crawford last year.

The pair exchanged leather for a full 12 rounds, live on DAZN, with the Mexican winning by unanimous decision: 115-112, 116-111, 117-110. The defending champion was able to win five rounds on one judges' scorecard.

Canelo said, “This is unbelievable. This feels like my first title. I’m so proud of my team.

“The instructions I receive from my team are always correct. I knew he was a strong fighter. But he didn’t throw a lot of punches because it’s difficult to throw punches against me.”

On what’s next, he replies: “I’m going to rest. I’m going to keep learning and working hard. I will take a couple of weeks off and then I will be back.”

Round by Round Report

1: As expected, Christian Mbilli makes the busier start. Canelo Alvarez is content to sit back and wait for an opportunity to counter. He doesn’t have to wait long, landing a stinging left hook to give Mbilli an early taste of his formidable power.

Mbilli backs Canelo up towards the end of the round and tries to put together a combination, but the Mexican blocks every shot with his gloves.

2: Better from Christian Mbilli, who finds his range with the jab and lands a couple of straight shots early in the second round. Canelo Alvarez responds with a whipping right hook around the guard, but Mbilli takes it well and quickly gets back to work behind his jab, landing another eye-catching flurry. He also narrowly misses with a big right cross.

Canelo finishes with a body shot, but I doubt it’s enough to win him the round.

3: Canelo Alvarez is growing into this fight. As usual, he stays patient and works his opponent’s body. Christian Mbilli is flashy but isn’t landing much at the moment.

After the first meaningful exchange of the third round, Canelo grins at his rival and beckons him forward. The few fans in attendance love that.

4: Christian Mbilli pursues Canelo Alvarez around the ring, throwing punches in bunches and keeping his work rate high. The question is whether he can hurt Canelo. The Mexican doesn’t look too troubled and lands two more impressive counters, including a heavy left hook to the body.

Mbilli finishes the round strongly, however, backing Canelo onto the ropes once more and unloading before the bell.

5: Both men trade body shots in the fifth. Canelo Alvarez repeatedly targets Christian Mbilli’s body with his left hook, surely hoping to slow the Frenchman down.

There’s little sign of that happening yet, however, and for the second round running, the champion finishes on top, with Canelo pinned against the ropes. Mbilli isn’t landing much, but his combinations catch the eye. With Canelo the more economical fighter, those flurries might be enough to nick Mbilli some rounds.

6: Another round follows the same pattern: Canelo Alvarez looks to catch and counter, while Christian Mbilli beavers away, throwing as many punches as he can.

The few fans in attendance try to rouse Canelo, but this has been a fairly tepid fight so far.

7: Better from Canelo Alvarez — his best round of the fight.

He caught Christian Mbilli with a big right uppercut, the first truly hurtful shot of the contest. Mbilli felt that and had to absorb a couple more punches as he reset his defence.

Canelo returned to working the body before the bell. That was much better from the Mexican, and the uppercut could prove an important moment in this fight.

8: Another big moment in this fight: Christian Mbilli is docked a point for repeated blows to the back of the head.

Canelo Alvarez all but tells the referee to deduct it. That feels incredibly harsh on Mbilli.

In a fight this close — with most rounds difficult to call — that deduction could prove crucial.

9: Canelo Alvarez is coasting now. Christian Mbilli is beginning to tire — he was never going to maintain that relentless pace for the full 12 rounds — and the Mexican is in complete control. There’s little need for him to push for a stoppage.

10: Christian Mbilli may look back with regret on his approach to this fight. He has spent most of it at long range, trying to outbox Canelo Alvarez. He needed to get inside and bully him!

Canelo has been far too comfortable for much of the contest and now looks just six minutes away from reclaiming one of the titles he lost to Terence Crawford last year.

11: Canelo Alvarez throws plenty of punches and starts to back Christian Mbilli up, but doesn’t appear to be pushing for a late stoppage. And why should he? There’s little reason to take that risk.

Mbilli is still trying to outbox the Mexican at range. That isn’t working. The champion surely needs a dramatic late stoppage to deny Canelo now.

12: A little trouble for Canelo Alvarez in the final round as Christian Mbilli finally lands a stiff jab upstairs. Canelo responds with a wry smile and once again beckons his opponent forward.

Canelo then lands a good body shot in the closing moments. He can’t resist one final exchange.

The bell goes and both men raise their arms. That looked an incredibly comfortable night’s work for Canelo. The only question now appears to be the margin of his points victory.

Canelo Alvarez looks set to become a super-middleweight world champion once again.