Canelo Alvarez took the WBC super middleweight title once more, winning a clear, unanimous decision over Christian Mbilli in their main event from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Though Mbilli had scattered moments of success, and was hanging in there early with Canelo, the middle and late rounds strongly belonged to the veteran Canelo, who bounced back from his loss 13 months ago to Terence “Bud” Crawford by taking back a piece of the crown he lost that night.

Canelo vs Mbilli official scorecards

Canelo (64-3-3, 39 KO) won on scores of 115-112, 116-111, and 117-110 from the three ringside judges.

Bad Left Hook unofficially scored the fight 116-111 and 116-111 on two cards, both for Canelo.

The 36-year-old Alvarez never seemed in any real danger in this one, as he did the same job we’ve seen him do in victory for years now, keeping a tight defense, landing shots accurately while not throwing a lot of punches, and doing a very professional job of simply winning the fight, without much for the highlight reel.

It’s clear that Canelo is still a top-level fighter, even if he’s not who he was in his prime, and that it’s still going to take a sincere, elite-level fighter to beat him, as has been the case for his entire career.

What’s next for Canelo?

Hamzah Sheeraz seems to be the promotional house favorite to land the next Canelo bout, though WBC interim champ Lester Martinez will also hope to make the play, of course, and both were in attendance in Riyadh on Saturday.

And there will be others who want the fight — anyone that can make a weight Canelo can fight at will want the fight, in fact, as he still is the top money man in boxing’s non-heavyweight divisions, and it’s not like we’ve never seen Canelo throw a curveball for a “next fight.”

As for what Canelo said when asked, he said he would just be taking a little time off, and then return, as is normal. He named no potential opponents.

What did you think of Canelo’s win tonight? Jump into the post-fight conversation and tell us what you thought with the SB Nation app for iOS or Android!

Jaime Munguía (47-2, 35 KOs) kept his WBA super middleweight belt, but Nikita Zon made him look vulnerable in a unanimous decision victory that was much harder than the scores indicated. The Russian’s power repeatedly disrupted Munguía, most dramatically in a sixth round that nearly wrecked the champion’s night.

The judges scored it 117-111, 116-112 and 117-111. Munguía’s combinations and greater activity gave him a case for winning, although those margins did little justice to the danger Zon (12-1-1, 10 KOs) created during twelve competitive rounds.

Zon was making his first appearance over the championship distance against an opponent with far more experience. Yet he found openings in Munguía’s defense often enough to turn an expected showcase into an uncomfortable struggle. The champion could put punches together, but too frequently left himself available for hard replies.

Round six exposed the cost. Zon hurt Munguía badly and threatened a stoppage, forcing the Mexican to survive before he could regain the initiative. Munguía recovered and resumed his offensive work, showing determination without fixing the defensive faults that had put him in trouble.

The referee’s decisions also helped him. Two apparent knockdown sequences went without counts, while a clear rabbit punch from Munguía brought no point deduction. Those incidents deserved better handling in a fight where individual scoring decisions mattered more than the final totals suggested.

Munguía’s output ultimately carried him through, but this was a poor performance against a challenger who had never faced comparable opposition. Zon’s relative inexperience should have made the champion’s greater variety and seasoning decisive; instead, his power remained a threat.

After the Bruno Surace knockout loss, another damaging scare is difficult to dismiss. Munguía still takes too many clean punches while attacking, and Zon demonstrated how quickly that can erase the comfort provided by a busy round. The belt stayed with Munguía, but the performance gave stronger punchers at 168 pounds plenty to study.

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Jaime Munguia is UP NEXT! 👊Jaime Munguia is UP NEXT! 👊

DAZN Boxing · 2 hours ago

World Boxing News provides a scorecard as David Picasso faces unbeaten Carl Jammes Martin in a ten-round featherweight contest for the WBC Silver title on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli undercard.

Picasso enters the fight with a 33-1-1 record and the opportunity to get another important victory under his belt against an opponent who has never tasted defeat.

Martin brings a perfect 28-0 record into the contest, with the Filipino looking to make his mark against a well-established Mexican rival.

The fight takes place as part of the Mexico vs. The World event.

WBN provides a live scorecard of the contest below, plus live results throughout the event.

Picasso vs Martin Scorecard

David Picasso vs Carl Jammes Martin

(Scorecard will refresh every 2 mins)

WBC Silver Featherweight Title

10×3

Official Result: Martin SD – 96-93, 95-94, 94-95

Preview

Picasso has already experienced defeat during his professional career, but he returns with another opportunity to strengthen his position in the featherweight division.

The Mexican’s 33 victories make him the more experienced fighter on paper, although Martin arrives with an unbeaten record that cannot be overlooked.

The Filipino has won all 28 of his professional contests and now gets the chance to prove himself against an opponent with a considerable reputation.

Picasso will want to avoid another setback, while ‘Wonder Boy’ knows that a victory over the Mexican could put him in a stronger position for future world title opportunities.

The contest is available live on DAZN as part of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli event.

The Picasso vs Martin contest unfolds alongside more live coverage on World Boxing News.

About the Author

Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.

Read Phil Jay’s full bio and latest stories.