Canelo Alvarez’s Return: Five Insights and the Challenges Ahead

Five Lessons from Canelo Alvarez’s Comeback Fight

At 36 years old, Canelo Alvarez showed that he remains a force in boxing. His recent win over Christian Mbilli was clear, but it raised a tough question about the super middleweight division’s future. The bout took place in Riyadh, where Canelo retained his WBC world championship with a dominant performance against Mbilli.

1. Canelo Outmaneuvered Mbilli’s Aggression

Christian Mbilli arrived with a reputation for relentless pressure and physicality. Yet against Canelo, he appeared ineffective, especially compared to his previous bouts—a draw with Lester Martinez in 2025 and a win over Sergey Derevyanchenko in 2024.

• Punches landed per round: Mbilli averaged 10.6 against Canelo, down from 21.5 versus Derevyanchenko and 27.3 against Martinez.
• Punch accuracy: Dropped to 17.5% from 30.9% and 34.7% in earlier fights.
• Jabs thrown per round: Increased to 29.3 against Canelo, up from 25 against Derevyanchenko.
• Power punches per round: Fell to 31.1 from 44.6 previously.
• Punch output in rounds 7-12: Rose to 63.5 per round, but accuracy remained poor, landing just one more punch than the first six rounds despite throwing 38 extra punches.

Instead of freezing under pressure, Canelo neutralized Mbilli’s key strength—the high-volume attack—using his jab, positioning, and sharp counterpunching. He controlled the fight’s pace and made Mbilli hesitant to engage, proving he can still adapt and solve problems inside the ring.

2. Jaime Munguia Is the Odd One Out Among Reynoso Fighters

Eddy Reynoso, known for coaching Canelo’s disciplined defense and counterpunching, also trains Jaime Munguia, who fought Nikita Zon on the same night. Munguia’s style contrasts sharply with Canelo’s; he’s a high-volume, aggressive brawler who relies heavily on toughness rather than defense.

Though Munguia won by unanimous decision (scores 117-111 twice, and 116-112), he faced serious trouble. Zon challenged him physically, disrupted his rhythm, and even staggered him with an uppercut in the sixth round. Munguia survived a near stoppage but rallied back strong in the later rounds.

Despite three training camps with Reynoso, Munguia’s vulnerabilities—especially to uppercuts and reckless exchanges—remain obvious. With Bektemir Melikuziev expected to challenge for Munguia’s WBA title in early 2027, these weaknesses might prove costly if Melikuziev exploits them.

3. Who Will Challenge Canelo at 168 Pounds?

Munguia holds the WBA belt but, as Canelo’s training partner who lost decisively to him in 2024, he seems unlikely to become a true threat. Eddy Reynoso has indicated that Canelo prefers to stay at super middleweight for now, which leaves a division lacking standout challengers.

• Hamzah Sheeraz: A 6-foot-3 British contender who impressed by stopping Edgar Berlanga in 2025 but looked less convincing in a narrow win over Simon Zachenhuber.
• Lester Martinez: The WBC interim champion with wins over Immanuwel Aleem and Luka Plantic, but his split draw with Mbilli makes his ability to challenge Canelo uncertain.
• Osleys Iglesias: The IBF super middleweight champion and southpaw with 15 knockouts out of 16 wins. He recently stopped unbeaten Oliver Zaren and has called for a unification bout with Canelo. Despite his skill and power, Iglesias lacks a major commercial profile.

None of these fighters present a clear, high-profile blockbuster challenge for Canelo just yet.

4. Dana White’s Criticism of Boxing’s Broadcast Format Rings True

UFC CEO and Zuffa Boxing co-founder Dana White has criticized boxing for its slow, drawn-out event production. Saturday’s Canelo-Mbilli pay-per-view highlighted this issue, with long studio segments interrupting the flow and forcing fans to sit through excessive analysis and promotional content.

The show often felt like watching a broadcast designed for talk shows rather than continuous live fights. Even knockout moments couldn’t break the cycle of lengthy pre-fight discussions and interviews. This problem isn’t new—July’s Anthony Joshua vs. Kristian Prenga card suffered the same fate, dragging on with 10 fights when fewer could have sufficed.

Other combat sports like Real American Freestyle and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship manage to keep their pacing tight, respecting viewers’ time by moving quickly from one matchup to the next.

5. Safety Concerns Cast a Shadow Over the Event

During fight week, residents and visitors in Riyadh received warnings about hostile aerial threats, urging people to remain indoors and avoid crowds due to missile attacks led by Houthi forces. These alerts followed deadly strikes on King Khalid International Airport that killed at least 13 people and injured hundreds.

The security risks were well-known and serious, with many governments advising against travel to Saudi Arabia. Hosting a sports event amid such threats seemed reckless, though the fight itself concluded without incident.

Despite early hopes from Turki Alalshikh’s leadership that Riyadh could become a new hub for major boxing events, ongoing logistical issues and security concerns suggest Las Vegas remains the sport’s safest and most reliable home.