Christian Mbilli Weighs In On Facing "Very Old" Canelo Alvarez

Despite fighting Lester Martinez to a draw in one of the best fights of the year, Christian Mbilli already has a bigger fight in mind. Instead of a rematch, Mbilli believes he is in play to be Canelo Alvarez's return opponent.

Mbilli and Martinez fought on the undercard of the massive Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford Netflix fight card. Although neither Mbilli nor Alvarez got their hands raised on the night, the Cameroonian believes that the fight should be next.

"It would be a privilege to fight a big name like Canelo," Mbilli told The Ring. "I think Canelo is very old right now. He's not the same Canelo from five to 10 years ago, but that's normal. He's been a professional fighter since the age of 15. But he's still dangerous and is a good fighter. He's still a top-three fighter in the division and a very good boxer."

Christian Mbilli | IMAGO / Panoramic by PsnewZ

The draw with Martinez was the first fight in Mbilli's career that he did not win. The fighters put on one of the highest-paced fights in recent history, combining for nearly 700 punches landed.

The result allowed Mbilli to retain his status as the WBC interim super middleweight champion. He initially claimed the belt with a first-round knockout of Maciej Sulecki in June.

With a win, either Mbilli or Martinez would have made themselves the No. 1 option to face the winner of the main event. The draw makes it likely that Mbilli and Martinez rematch in early 2026, but that has not stopped the former from continuing to chase bigger fish.

MORE: Terence Crawford Offered Title Shot To Become Six Division Champion

Christian Mbilli believes he beats Canelo Alvarez

Mbilli recognizes that he might not ever get the opportunity to face the 35-year-old Alvarez, who continues is taking the twilight of his career one fight at a time. However, if the matchup materializes, Mbilli believes he is too much for Canelo at this stage of his career.

"Canelo is getting old," Mbilli said. "It's a good time for me to fight him. Let's do it. We will see. Of course, I will put on a big show. I will be there to win. It will be a big war. I don't know if he can take my pressure and punches. I throw a lot of punches with a lot of energy. I don't know if he can take it. I think I have a good chance to win."

Alvarez has already confirmed that he will not retire, but he will not return until 2026. The now-former champion remains under contract with Turki Alalshikh and Riyadh Season and will return to the ring in another blockbuster event, whether it is against Mbilli or not.

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