Christian Mbilli Believes It’s The ‘Perfect’ Time to Beat Canelo Alvarez

Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) is all set to defend his WBC title against Canelo Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) in September. As fight night approaches, Mbilli is certain that this just might be the best time to beat Alvarez.

On the Mr. Verzace Podcast, Mbilli admitted he believed Alvarez wasn’t the same caliber of fighter he once was.

“I think his performance is going down, but he’s still very dangerous. I think it’s a very perfect timing for me to beat him,”he said.

While Alvarez remains one of boxing’s elite fighters, many observers believe his performances have declined compared to his peak years between roughly 2018 and 2021. During that period, Canelo combined relentless pressure, explosive combinations, and a willingness to take risks against top opponents. In recent years, however, he has appeared less active offensively, throwing fewer combinations and relying more on single power shots. His footwork and ability to cut off the ring, once among his greatest strengths, have also seemed less effective against mobile opponents.

With that in mind, Mbilli isn’t planning on making any major changes to his fight style, certain that Alvarez hasn’t faced someone who lands the volume of punches as he does.

“I will not change anything. I will punch the first second and the last second of the fight. I hope he will be ready, because it will be an amazing fight for him. I think he will regret to be in the ring,” he said. “My aggressiveness, my pressure, he never fought people who throw a lot of punches like me and put a lot of pressure. Physically, I want to destroy him.”

“Take The Spot of Canelo”

However, Mbilli’s promoter, Camille Estephan, believes that he (Mbilli) might have a bigger picture in mind. To replace Alvarez as the pound-for-pound boxing superstar.

“I believe Mbilli has what it takes to use this platform to show that he’s number one in the sport,” he said in conversation with Sky Sports Boxing. “His goal is clearly to take the spot of Canelo, and I believe he has everything in place to deliver the performance of his life. Canelo is in trouble. I believe Canelo wants to fight Mbilli to take back the WBC belt, and that is good enough reason.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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