Canelo vs. Mbilli Recap: Video Highlights, Full Card Results and Doc’s Prediction Record
By Terrence “Doc” Boone, RCM Boxing Correspondent
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, (October 31st, 2026)–Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is a world champion again. The 36-year-old Mexican superstar (64-3-2, 39 KOs) reclaimed the WBC super middleweight title with a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten champion Christian “Solide” Mbilli (29-1-1, 24 KOs) on Saturday in Riyadh. The judges scored it 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112. Canelo’s jab, counters and defense shut down Mbilli’s pressure, referee Hector Afu docked Mbilli a point in the eighth round, and CompuBox credited Canelo with 132 power punches landed to Mbilli’s 99. It handed Mbilli the first loss of his career and answered the biggest questions of Canelo’s career after 13 months away, elbow surgery and the September 2025 loss to Terence Crawford. The “Mexico vs. The World” card also delivered a near-knockout in the co-main event, a cut stoppage in a world title fight and a first-round knockout. Doc’s prediction record opens at 8-1 on winners.
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Main Event Breakdown: Canelo Alvarez def. Christian Mbilli
Canelo walked in as a roughly -250 to -340 favorite against a champion who had promised to punch from the first second to the last, and he answered the doubts with the most composed fight of his comeback. ESPN described it as a defensively brilliant performance in which Canelo systematically neutralized Mbilli’s offense. Mbilli did what he said he would do and moved forward for 12 rounds, but Canelo met him with a sharp jab and clean counters to the head and body, and Mbilli never settled into the pace he needed.
The early rounds went Canelo’s way on the World Boxing News scorecard, which gave him the first three rounds before Mbilli took rounds four and five. Yahoo Sports’ coverage called it even through six. From there Canelo took over the second half of the fight. In the third round he waved Mbilli forward from the ropes, and Mbilli obliged with combinations, but ESPN noted he may have only worn himself out in the process. His energy seemed to fade in the middle rounds, although he never looked completely gassed, and by the seventh round he appeared out of ideas. Canelo landed a sharp uppercut in that round and kept finding the target with his right hand in the closing rounds.
The eighth round brought the night’s one real controversy. After Canelo complained about blows to the back of his head, Afu deducted a point from Mbilli for illegal punches. Neither fighter scored a knockdown. In the final round Canelo answered a good Mbilli right hand by walking to the center of the ring, beating his chest and calling him forward. ESPN’s only knock was that Canelo never seemed to hunt for a finish, which has been the case for several years now.
Canelo called it a perfect performance and was visibly emotional, comparing the feeling to winning his first title. He credited trainer Eddy Reynoso for the game plan, and said Mbilli threw fewer punches because it is hard to throw against him. With the belt back, options include Hamzah Sheeraz, a Dmitry Bivol rematch and a clash with David Benavidez, and Canelo has said he intends to fight several more times before a final fight in Mexico.
Doc’s take: I picked Canelo by unanimous decision with the cards in the neighborhood of 116-112 or 115-113, so I had the winner and the method right, and the official scores were wider than mine. Where I missed was the script. I had Mbilli banking the first three or four rounds on activity, and Canelo instead set the terms early with the jab and counters. The film-study question was whether Canelo’s feet and volume had slipped. Based on the reports and the CompuBox numbers, they had not slipped enough to matter against a straight-line pressure fighter. The second question was whether Mbilli would fade over 12 rounds for the first time. He did not collapse, but the middle-round dip in his output showed up again and he never found the extra gear.
Relive the whole night. Get Canelo vs. Mbilli on DAZN and watch the fight that put Canelo back on top of the 168-pound division.
Co-Main Event: Jaime Munguia def. Nikita Zon
Jaime Munguia (47-2, 35 KOs) kept the WBA super middleweight title in his first defense, winning a unanimous decision over Nikita Zon (12-1-1, 10 KOs) by scores of 117-111, 117-111 and 116-112, but it was much closer than the cards suggest. Zon, a southpaw who had never been past eight rounds, badly hurt Munguia and nearly stopped him in a wild sixth round that is already a round-of-the-year contender. Munguia survived, started firing back in the last half minute, and then wore Zon down with body work in the later rounds. Munguia admitted afterward that things got “sticky” for a while.
Doc’s take: I had Munguia to win, so the winner is right, but I had him finishing Zon by TKO, so the method is wrong. For a few minutes in the sixth round, the -900 price looked very expensive.
Undercard Highlights
Rafael Espinoza def. Ricardo Blandon (WBO featherweight title). Espinoza (29-0, 25 KOs) retained the belt for the fifth time when the ring doctor stopped the fight at 1:22 of the third round after Blandon (21-7, 14 KOs) suffered a cut over his left eye. Espinoza had rocked Blandon with right uppercuts at the end of round two. Some coverage labeled the stoppage controversial. Espinoza was a roughly -2000 to -2500 favorite.
Carl Jammes Martin def. David Picasso (WBC Silver featherweight title). This was the upset of the night and the only winner I missed. Martin (29-0, 21 KOs) took a split decision over Picasso (33-2-1, 18 KOs) in a razor-thin 10-rounder. Judge Guido Cavalleri had it 95-94 for Picasso, Jorge Gorini 95-94 for Martin and Barry Linderman 96-93 for Martin. Picasso scored a knockdown with a jab in the seventh round, but Martin’s speed, power and extra activity in the 10th round carried him.
Reito Tsutsumi def. Raymundo Rojas. The Japanese prospect (6-0, 5 KOs) stopped Rojas in the second round, with Rojas already showing the effects late in round one.
Bek Nurmaganbet def. Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez. Nurmaganbet (17-0, 15 KOs) knocked out Vazquez Rodriguez in the first round at 2:57 and is now a prospect to watch at the top of the weight classes.
Sultan Almohammed (6-0, 4 KOs) won a unanimous decision over Erick Villegas, Emiliano Rojo stopped Flavius Biea in the fourth round, and Brayan Leon won a unanimous decision over Hector Aguirre.
How the betting favorites fared: The three title-fight favorites, Canelo, Munguia and Espinoza, all won, and the fight going the distance was a winner for those who backed it. Picasso, the favorite where a line was posted, lost to Martin. 21+. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Full Card Results
Main Card
WBC Super Middleweight Title: Canelo Alvarez def. Christian Mbilli by Unanimous Decision (117-110, 116-111, 115-112)
WBA Super Middleweight Title: Jaime Munguia def. Nikita Zon by Unanimous Decision (117-111, 117-111, 116-112)
WBO Featherweight Title: Rafael Espinoza def. Ricardo Blandon by TKO (Doctor Stoppage, Cut), Round 3, 1:22
Super Featherweight: Reito Tsutsumi def. Raymundo Rojas by TKO, Round 2, 2:27
Preliminary Card
WBC Silver Featherweight Title: Carl Jammes Martin def. David Picasso by Split Decision (96-93, 95-94, 94-95)
Super Featherweight: Sultan Almohammed def. Erick Villegas by Unanimous Decision (60-54, 59-55, 59-55)
Light Heavyweight: Bek Nurmaganbet def. Marcos Vazquez Rodriguez by KO, Round 1, 2:57
Super Middleweight: Emiliano Rojo def. Flavius Biea by TKO, Round 4, 1:38
Super Middleweight: Brayan Leon def. Hector Aguirre by Unanimous Decision (78-74, 78-74, 77-75)
Doc’s Prediction Record
Doc’s official prediction record starts here. On picking winners, Doc went 8-1. On exact method, he went 4-5, counting Nurmaganbet’s first-round knockout as the predicted stoppage.
| Fight | Doc’s Pick | Result | Winner Right? | Method Right? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canelo vs. Mbilli | Canelo by UD | Canelo by UD | Yes | Yes |
| Munguia vs. Zon | Munguia by TKO | Munguia by UD | Yes | No |
| Espinoza vs. Blandon | Espinoza by KO/TKO | Espinoza by TKO, Round 3 | Yes | Yes |
| Picasso vs. Martin | Picasso by UD | Martin by SD | No | No |
| Tsutsumi vs. Rojas | Tsutsumi by UD | Tsutsumi by TKO, Round 2 | Yes | No |
| Nurmaganbet vs. Vazquez Rodriguez | Nurmaganbet by TKO | Nurmaganbet by KO, Round 1 | Yes | Yes |
| Rojo vs. Biea | Rojo by UD | Rojo by TKO, Round 4 | Yes | No |
| Leon vs. Aguirre | Leon by TKO | Leon by UD | Yes | No |
| Almohammed vs. Villegas | Almohammed by UD | Almohammed by UD | Yes | Yes |
| Total | 8-1 | 4-5 |
Canelo is back on top at 168 pounds, Munguia survived the scare of his career, Martin shocked the world and Nurmaganbet announced himself with one punch. That is what a stacked night of boxing delivers, and it is why the biggest fights belong on DAZN. Every major card is a reason to be watching live, with the picks, the upsets and the finishes unfolding in real time instead of on your timeline the next morning. Do not wait for the next headline to read about it. Click here, get DAZN and be live for the next big fight night, and make sure you are the one watching when the next champion is crowned or the next upset lands. Check DAZN for current pricing, plans and on-demand availability in your region.
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Watch: Canelo vs. Mbilli Video Highlights
Canelo vs. Mbilli Video 1
Canelo vs. Mbilli Video 2
Canelo vs. Mbilli Video 3
Canelo vs. Mbilli Video 4
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