Alvarez dominates Mbilli to reclaim WBC super middleweight title

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  Brett OkamotoOct 31, 2026, 07:13 PM ET

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  Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.

Canelo Alvarez looked very much like Canelo Alvarez on Saturday, despite more than a year away from the ring, elbow surgery and a disappointing loss to Terence Crawford his last time out.

Alvarez (64-3-2, 39 KOs) reclaimed the WBC super middleweight championship with a dominant performance over Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He systematically neutralized Mbilli's entire offense, enroute to judges' scorecards of 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112.

The Mexican superstar characterized his own performance as "perfect," and was visibly movable after reclaiming one of the belts he lost to Crawford in September 2025.

"It's so difficult to explain," said Alvarez, on his post-fight emotions. "It's something unbelievable, this feeling. Like my first title. Thirty-one years as a professional. Sixteen years ago, I won my first title. Now, I won the title again. I'm so proud."

Alvarez, 36, went into Saturday's title fights facing the most questions of his storied career. He responded with a composed, defensively brilliant fight against an undefeated champion whose goal was to attack him from the opening bell.

Mbilli moved forward throughout the 12 rounds but appeared demoralized and out of ideas by the seventh round. There proved to be far more drama around Alvarez's willingness to fly to Saudi Arabia due to conflict in the region, than in the fight itself.