Mbilli: 'He's made a mistake' – Canelo: 'He has zero chance'
The tone is sharpening before the WBC title fight in Riyadh. Mbilli wants to make Canelo 'pay' for his choice of opponent; Canelo is dismissive. Shawn Porter predicts a stoppage win for the Mexican.
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Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez had other routes to a world title for his return, such as IBF champion Osleys Iglesias – but he chose WBC champion Christian Mbilli. "He's made a mistake, and I'm going to make him pay," Mbilli told The Ring, according to Boxing 24/7. In a WBC preview the unbeaten Frenchman (29-0-1, 24 KOs) is also quoted as saying: "He's old compared to five years ago. His reflexes and stopping power are diminishing, but he's still a dangerous counterpuncher."
Álvarez hits back in the same WBC preview: "Mbilli couldn't beat me if I was fifty or sixty. He can't beat me. He has zero chance of winning."
Former welterweight world champion Shawn Porter even expects an early finish: "I got him stopping Mbilli. Uppercut or left-hook," he told DAZN, according to Boxing News. Yet Álvarez has not stopped an opponent since stopping Caleb Plant in 2021. The fight takes place in Riyadh on Saturday, October 31.