Canelo Álvarez wins back WBC super-middleweight title by unanimous decision in Riyadh

Result in Riyadh

Canelo Álvarez won back the WBC super-middleweight title on Saturday, 31 October, with a unanimous decision over Christian Mbilli in Riyadh. The judges scored the bout 115-112, 116-111 and 117-110 in the Mexican's favour, his 64th win from 69 professional fights. Álvarez, a four-weight world champion, had been away from the ring for more than a year after losing his belts to Terence Crawford in September 2025. Mbilli, a Cameroon-born French champion who trains in Canada, was making the first defence of a title he had won when he was elevated to champion in January, and he arrived with a record of 29 wins and one draw. Afterwards Álvarez appeared emotional and said:

“It's so difficult to explain. It's something unbelievable.”

How the fight unfolded

Mbilli pressed forward from the start, pinning Álvarez against the ropes and throwing more punches than his opponent. Álvarez shrugged off the pressure, drew his challenger back into attacking and waited for openings to counter. Although Mbilli threw more punches, the cleaner blows were Álvarez's, including a pair of right uppercuts that landed in round six. A sharp uppercut in round seven staggered Mbilli. In round eight the referee docked Mbilli a point for landing one low blow too many, and the Independent judged the win comfortable regardless of that deduction.

Card 1 Álvarez115

Card 1 Mbilli112

Card 2 Álvarez116

Card 2 Mbilli111

Card 3 Álvarez117

Card 3 Mbilli110

Card 1 Álvarez

115 points

Card 1 Mbilli

112 points

Card 2 Álvarez

116 points

Card 2 Mbilli

111 points

Card 3 Álvarez

117 points

Card 3 Mbilli

110 points

Data from the article text

Riyadh under missile threat

The bout went ahead despite security worries that had mounted for about a week in the Saudi capital. Two days before the fight, the Saudi Press Agency reported that the Civil Defence had intercepted two ballistic missiles over Riyadh. The Saudi-led coalition said it had also intercepted missiles and drones launched by Houthi forces aligned with Iran. Earlier in October, a missile strike on King Khalid International Airport killed at least 12 people according to the Guardian, while the BBC put the toll at 13, and wounded more than 300. The coalition also said a second projectile hit a passenger terminal the following day, and several international airlines suspended flights to the kingdom. Other events were cancelled, including the Six Kings Slam tennis event, the closing round of the 2026 World Rally Championship and the 2026 Urban Cycling World Championships.

Turki al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, wrote on social media that Álvarez had assured him he would fight in Riyadh regardless of the security situation. His post read:

“Canelo reached out and told me he'll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens.”

Al-Sheikh added that 'he fears nothing', a line that came as the escalation put Saudi Arabia's ambitions to host major sporting events under strain.

What comes next

Doubts about whether Álvarez's skills had declined followed his defeat by Crawford and more than a year out of the ring, and the win answered them for now. Crawford won the belts Álvarez had held and later retired from boxing. Speaking in the ring afterwards, Álvarez said:

“I'm going to rest, I'm going to keep learning, I'm going to keep working hard.”

He planned to take a couple of weeks off before returning, and he told Ring Magazine that he wants to fight quickly, perhaps in February. The loss was Mbilli's first defeat in 31 bouts, according to the BBC, and no source names Álvarez's next opponent, so that remains unresolved.