Canelo beats Mbilli to regain WBC title in Riyadh; Delgado pulled out of IBF fight

Canelo Alvarez needed a year away, elbow surgery and 12 steady rounds to become a world champion again. He took the WBC super middleweight belt from Christian Mbilli at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, and it was the first defeat of the Frenchman's professional career.

Mbilli's volume won the early minutes. He pushed Alvarez toward the ropes, and Canelo answered with counters and body work. The fight turned in round seven, when an uppercut landed that was the hardest punch of the night to that point. In the eighth, referee Hector Afu took a point from Mbilli for a punch to the back of the head, after an earlier warning for a low blow. Even without the deduction, Alvarez would have led on every card, according to MiddleEasy. Some fans and commentators still questioned the call, and LowKick MMA led with the controversy.

The win closes a loop. Alvarez lost his four belts to Terence Crawford in September 2025. Crawford then retired, which let Mbilli move from interim to full champion. At 36, Alvarez came in as the challenger and left as champion again. Crawford congratulated him on social media, but a rematch remains unlikely. Alvarez told Fight Hub TV he hopes it happens, while his trainer Eddy Reynoso said he would like Crawford next but that the team will rest first.

Alvarez himself named no opponent. He said he would take a two-week vacation and return to the gym. Boxing News lists Hamzah Sheeraz as an option because of his ties to Riyadh Season, where Alvarez has one more contracted fight. Jake Paul also jumped in on X, writing that Alvarez "did take a lot of punches though". Paul's Dec. 24 return in Dubai has no opponent yet, and Alvarez has not replied in the reports.

The undercard lost its other title fight. Lindolfo Delgado did not travel for the vacant IBF junior welterweight bout with Arthur Biyarslanov. Trainer Robert Garcia cited missile alerts and an unrealistic travel schedule. Biyarslanov wrote on X that 19 of 20 boxers showed up and that he waited a week without an explanation. His manager, Jimmy Kambosos, said the camp will wait to see how the IBF responds.

Next up is Alvarez's team meeting in a few weeks to choose his next fight. Biyarslanov's title chance now depends on an IBF decision.