Christian Mbilli made a bold prediction for his September showdown against super middleweight rival, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez.
The prizefighters collide in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a fight that brings Canelo, a pound-for-pound staple for the last decade, back to the ring after a one-year absence following his 12-round loss to recently retired Terence Crawford.
Mbilli, on that same card inside the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, shared a split draw with Lester Martinez in a fan-friendly banger. He wants to one-up that in his next fight.
“My last fight was fight of the year,” Mbilli said, per Boxing Scene.
“In September, against Canelo Alvarez, it will be the fight of the decade.”
— Christian Mbilli on what fans can expect from his Canelo clash
“And when it is over,” he added, “the world will witness a historic victory for me.”
Canelo is far more experienced and the Mbilli fight will be the 69th of his career. It’s a career that has seen him win legitimate world championships across four separate weight classes, while fighting meaningful fights against the likes of Shane Mosley, Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, Gennadiy Golovkin, and Sergey Kovalev.
There are other opponents out there for Canelo but Mbilli remains, according to the Mexican, “a great fighter” who is “undefeated” with a pro record of 29-0-1 (24 KOs).
“My focus is always on my preparation, performance, and giving the fans another great night of boxing,” Canelo said.
“On September 12 in Riyadh, we begin a new chapter with the same discipline, ambition, and vision that has carried me throughout my career.”
