Canelo Alvarez Set for Christian Mbilli Title Fight in Autumn — Who Won Boxing Tonight

Canelo Alvarez is set to return to boxing against Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-middleweight championship, and the question who won boxing tonight is now tied to a fall title fight rather than a one-off return. The bout is being targeted for the autumn, with the date and location still not officially locked in.

Canelo Alvarez and Mbilli

Top Rank president Todd duBoef said the fight is being planned with Mbilli’s team in Canada, and he added, “That's the fight that's being targeted.” DuBoef also said, “They're talking about the fall [for it to take place].”

That puts Alvarez back into world title competition after losing to Terence Crawford last September. That defeat ended his reign as the undisputed super-middleweight champion, and Mbilli was elevated to WBC super-middleweight champion after Crawford retired.

DuBoef on the matchup

DuBoef framed the styles as the selling point, saying, “I think stylistically for both guys, it's a good fight. Canelo needs [Mbilli's style] too. He needs a guy that's going to come to him - that's where he really excels.” He added, “That's an excellent stylistic fight. You can see the styles come together.”

Mbilli is undefeated, and Alvarez enters the fight with the pressure of a return that carries more about recovery than crown protection. DuBoef said, “[Canelo's] got nothing to lose, only to gain. And we don't know how many more days Canelo's got left.”

Riyadh Season reports

The Ring magazine previously reported that the fight is set to headline a Riyadh Season event in Saudi Arabia on September 12. That date and venue have not been officially confirmed, so the practical read for now is simple: Alvarez is headed toward a fall title fight, but the final details still have to land before fans know where the championship will be decided.