Top Rank chairman Bob Arum believes WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli has the style and punching power to become the first fighter to stop Canelo Alvarez when they meet in Riyadh this October.
“We co-promote Mbilli with a Canadian company, and I [see] Mbilli to not only beat Canelo but to knock him out,” Arum told FightHype. “I know [Canelo has never been stopped], but Mbilli has the punching power to stop him.”
Arum’s prediction may sound ambitious, but there are reasons to believe Mbilli presents a different challenge than anyone Canelo has faced in recent years. However, there are reasons to believe Mbilli presents a different challenge than anyone Alvarez has faced in recent years.
One area that has become more noticeable in Canelo’s recent fights is his vulnerability to sustained body attacks. During his rivalry with Golovkin in 2017 and 2018, Golovkin repeatedly targeted the body as he marched forward. On several occasions, Canelo complained to the referee that he was being hit in the back, while Golovkin’s camp argued the punches were legal and only landed there because Canelo turned away during exchanges.
Mbilli also builds his offense around constant pressure and body punching, but he’ll enter the October fight considerably younger than the Golovkin who shared 24 rounds with Canelo. Golovkin was already 35 when they first met in 2017 and 36 at the rematch in 2018, while Canelo is now entering his mid-30s after showing signs of decline in recent performances.
If Mbilli is to fulfill Arum’s prediction, it will likely come through sustained pressure and accumulation rather than a single punch. His ability to force Canelo backward, attack the body and maintain a relentless pace could make him one of the most physically demanding opponents Alvarez has faced at this stage of his career.
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Last Updated on 2026/07/04 at 9:15 PM
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