'I belong': Christian Mbilli hoping WBC interim title fight launches him onto Canelo vs. Crawford mega-card
Not even his second-longest career absence could leave Christian Mbilli off the radar of the sport's most influential figure.
This weekend's showdown with two-time title challenger Maciej Sulecki will mark Mbilli's first piece of ring action since last August. Still, he found himself on the very short list of fighters who Turki Alalshikh would like to add to the Sept. 13 Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford card on Netflix.
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The declaration came one day after Alalshikh called for an end to the type of dull matchups that plagues his two most recent shows.
'I'm very honored to be on the list of fighters Turki Alalshikh would like to see on his Riyadh Season event,' Mbilli told Uncrowned. 'I'm very happy, but I have to focus on my fight right now.
'I hope after this, I will have my big fight against a big-name fighter.'
For now, Mbilli (28-0, 23 KOs) will take on his second straight former title challenger, as he hopes to land his own first shot at the super middleweight crown. His clash with Poland's Sulecki (33-3, 13 KOs) will air this Friday on ESPN+ from Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada.
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The interim WBC super middleweight title will be at stake for Mbilli's second straight fight at this venue and third consecutive main event. The 30-year-old Cameroonian Frenchman — now based in Montreal — has become a ticket-seller in his adopted home region, in large part to his all-action style.
He was dealt a test in the ring in a hard-fought 10-round points win over Sergiy Derevyanchenko (15-6, 10 KOs) at this very venue last August 17. Derevyanchenko has only lost in title fights or to fighters who either previously held or went on to win a major title.
Mbilli is the lone exception to that list at the moment. He hopes to change that beginning with a victory this weekend over a similarly experienced opponent.
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Winning an interim belt is a step in the right direction, not the finish line.
'The goal is to be world champion, not just interim champion,' vowed Mbilli, who is co-promoted by Eye of the Tiger Management and Top Rank. 'I hope after this fight, I will have the opportunity to fight for and become world champion. Right now, that would mean the chance to win the undisputed super middleweight championship.'
That career path is a far cry from where Mbilli sat this time last year.
Promoter Camille Estephan has struggled to find relevant matchups for the top-rated super middleweight. It hasn't been for a lack of trying; Mbilli has been positioned in opportunities for several title eliminators, including two rounds of ordered talks with fellow unbeaten top contender Diego Pacheco (23-0, 18 KOs).
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Of all the stated targets pursued by Mbilli, the only one to say "yes" is the one who will be in the opposite corner this weekend.
'I have to thank my opponent, as strange as it sounds,' Mbilli said, doing his best to laugh through the frustration. 'It's our job to fight, but you have a lot of fighters who look for reasons not to.
'The last one was Pacheco, he ducked me two times. I hope after Sulecki, we will have more big fights.'
The fact that his name was mentioned by Alalshikh is a net positive for Mbilli, especially considering the event on which he wishes to showcase the 30-year-old Olympian.
Christian Mbilli's all-action style could lead him toward some big opportunities in the near future.
(Mathieu Belanger via Getty Images)
A win on Friday will leave Mbilli as the WBC mandatory challenger. Mexico's Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) is the division's undisputed champion, a crown he will attempt to defend against Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs). The two will face off in a Netflix headliner presented by Riyadh Season from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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The greater likelihood is that Mbilli doesn't get the winner straightaway. At some point, however, it will become harder to avoid him.
Mbilli is the No. 1 ranked contender with the WBC and holds the same ranking with every credible independent ratings panel. He officially transitioned from rising prospect to perennial top-10 super middleweight following a March 2023 decision win over Carlos Gongora.
That feat was followed by three consecutive knockout wins as he grew as a reliable box-office attraction. The enthusiasm remained intact even as he went all 10 rounds with Derevyanchenko.
The lone hiccup along the way came in the one fight of late that didn't see the light of day.
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Mbilli was due to face unbeaten Kevin Lele Sadjo on May 8 in an IBF title eliminator. The bout was due to take place in Paris, after a purse bid hearing was won by Y12 Boxing, Sadjo's promoter.
Eye of the Tiger Management pulled the plug on the fight, claiming that the other side violated the terms of the purse bid and also failed to provide proof of funds. Those accusations were vehemently denied by Y12, though it mattered little; Mbilli was not only out a fight, but suddenly on the sideline.
'Camille is doing a very good job looking out for me,' insisted Mbilli. 'He tried his hardest to bring a big fight to the table for me. We had problems with the promoter, with the TV and other things.
'Right now, the goal for Camille is to find the biggest names for me and to position me to become world champion. I'm very proud to have him on my team.'
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With any luck — and with a victory Friday — Mbilli can add the sport's most powerful figure to that list.
'After this fight, we will have to see if [Alalshikh] still wants to do things together,' he said. 'It still makes me very happy. It motivates me to show that I belong among the elite of the super middleweight division.
'I want to show that [against Sulecki]. After that, I want to become the world super middleweight champion.'
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