Trainer Robert Garcia believes Canelo Alvarez can defeat Christian Mbilli, but he expects a much closer fight than many fans anticipate when they meet for the WBC super middleweight title on September 12 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli is an absolute cardio machine, a human volume monster who brings relentless pressure from the opening bell to the final second. Canelo will be fighting for the first time since losing his four belts to Terence Crawford in September 2025. In that fight, Canelo visibly tired at the midpoint, allowing Crawford to control the second half.
Robert believes the matchup is far more dangerous than some fans realize and questioned how Canelo will look in his return from the Crawford defeat.
“Mbilli’s tough, man. He had a really good fight with Lester, and Lester’s also a great fighter, so it’s going to be interesting to see how Canelo comes back after that beating he took, that loss he took,” said Robert to YSM Sports media.
“It’s a close fight. I still favor Canelo, but it’s not going to be easy.”
Robert also praised Canelo for taking on a difficult assignment rather than easing his way back with a lower-risk opponent.
“I think Canelo’s hungry to prove that he’s still out there, that he still belongs up there. So that’s good. You got to give him respect for that because he could have easily taken an easy comeback fight. Easy.”
Christian Mbilli: “I am in my prime”https://t.co/WkcOHy9gRV pic.twitter.com/Dvg9PBES7N
— World Boxing Council (@WBCBoxing) June 18, 2026
Mbilli’s split draw against Lester Martinez on that same September undercard showed he can be hit, but it also demonstrated the qualities that make him dangerous. The unbeaten champion continued pressing forward through difficult moments and maintained his output deep into the fight. Those are the type of traits that could test a 35-year-old Canelo coming off the first clear defeat of his professional career.
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Last Updated on 2026/06/19 at 12:39 AM
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