If Canelo wants to keep his risk profile manageable while cashing the largest possible check, Hamzah Sheeraz is the ideal option for September.
His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has made it clear he wants the biggest names on the grandest stages. Assuming Sheeraz defeats Alem Begic on May 23 and wins the vacant WBO super middleweight title, he would enter the discussion with a belt, unbeaten record, and fresh-event appeal.
Style may matter too. Mbilli is an aggressive, high-output fighter who forces opponents to work every round. At this stage of Canelo’s career, that may look less appealing than a taller opponent like Sheeraz, who has shown vulnerability in past fights.
Mbilli would force Canelo into a high-cardio, high-damage war. At 35, Canelo has no incentive to take that much punishment for a fight that likely does fewer PPV buys than a UK-backed Sheeraz event.
Sheeraz was pushed hard by Carlos Adames in a bout many felt could have gone the other way, and he was badly shaken by Austin Williams before recovering.
Other names look weaker. Jaime Munguia has already been beaten by Canelo, making a second fight difficult to justify as a premium attraction unless he produces a major rebound win. Jose Armando Resendiz lacks the profile to headline a September event of this size.
The dangerous road may be IBF champion Osleys Iglesias, a younger puncher viewed by many as one of the toughest threats at 168. That is also why he appears the least likely option.
Fighting Iglesias is a legacy move with a negative downside. There’s a reason he’s the least likely option. He has the power to knock out even the most durable veterans, but he doesn’t yet have the global following to justify that risk for Canelo.
A fight against a newly crowned British champion, Sheeraz, in Saudi Arabia is an easier sell to the global public than a grueling mandatory defense against a volume-punching Frenchman, Mbilli.
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