Christian Mbilli remains undefeated and is positioning himself for a potential 2025 showdown with boxing superstar Saul "Canelo" Alvarez. While Mbilli’s latest performance against former middleweight title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko on Saturday night wasn’t flawless, it was enough to keep his perfect record intact and move him closer to the super middleweight elite.
Mbilli secured the victory in Quebec City, overcoming a determined Derevyanchenko despite the Ukrainian veteran suffering an injury that limited him from the fourth round onward. The win puts Mbilli in line for a potential clash with Jaime Munguia, should Munguia emerge victorious in his September 20 bout against Erik Bazinyan. Promoter Bob Arum hinted that such a bout could pave the way for Mbilli to challenge Canelo in 2025, though he acknowledged, “It’s tough to compel Canelo to do anything, but we know Canelo will respond to a challenge.”
However, not everyone is convinced that Mbilli is ready for the sport's biggest stage. On ProBox TV’s "Top Stories," analysts Timothy Bradley Jr. and Chris Algieri weighed in on Mbilli’s performance, noting several technical flaws. Algieri pointed out that Mbilli struggled even against a compromised Derevyanchenko, taking too many hits and showing signs of fatigue. “He was fighting a 38-year-old with one arm and was still getting hit, hurt to the body sometimes, and he got tired,” Algieri remarked, casting doubt on Mbilli’s readiness to take on a fighter of Canelo’s caliber.
Mbilli’s tendency to throw wide shots, fall forward, and leave himself vulnerable to counterpunches were highlighted as areas that need significant improvement before he steps into the ring with a top-tier champion. "The big, wide shots, the falling forward, the getting square in front of the opponent, the bending over, [vulnerable] for uppercuts … he leans over the front foot," Algieri continued, emphasizing that such habits could be easily exploited by a fighter as skilled as Canelo.
Despite these criticisms, Bradley remains intrigued by the potential matchup. He acknowledged Mbilli’s flaws but praised his energy, power, and aggressive style, which could make for an entertaining bout against Canelo. "You can put him in the ring against Canelo and he’ll be tough. He’s definitely dangerous. He has a high-revving motor. He has punching power. He can pressure Canelo," Bradley said, though he predicted Alvarez would ultimately prevail due to his superior counterpunching and composure in the ring.
Read more about Christian Mbilli's yet undefeated career here.
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