In September, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez hopes to regain his world title after last year’s loss to Terence Crawford, but he warned it won’t be an effortless task.

Crawford moved up two divisions and delivered a disciplined, clever performance, defeating Canelo in twelve rounds, becoming the undisputed three-weight champion and cementing his position as one of the best fighters of his era.

For Alvarez, the loss marked the end of his dominance at 168 pounds with this, he won all four major world titles and established himself as a leading force in the division. While remaining competitive throughout, Crawford’s timing, movement and adaptability consistently hampered the Mexican star, who struggled to impose his usual pressure and punch combinations.

Crawford’s subsequent retirement dispersed the super middleweight belts and presented Canelo with a recent path back to the top. The Mexican icon has confirmed that he plans to return on September 12 against reigning WBC champion Christian Mbilla in Saudi Arabia.

Before he became champion, Mbilli proved to be one of the most hazardous contenders in the division and brought an undefeated record, aggressive style and growing momentum to the fight. His promoter, Camille Estephan, calls it “reaching” the top.

“I’ll tell you how it happens! Many say that Mbilli is the perfect style for Canelo… Christian comes in brutal and relentless. This is not a show. This is an arrival!”

A victory will not only raise Mbilla’s profile overnight, but will also cement his status as champion. He was promoted from interim to full champion when Crawford was stripped of the WBC belt, retaining the interim belt with a draw against Lester Martinez in September.

For Canelo, this means an immediate opportunity to regain his world title and prove that even after a major defeat, he remains a central figure in boxing’s elite. How the fight develops will be of great importance in the final chapter of his career.

Terence Crawford hung up his gloves overdue last year, deciding it was time for an undefeated professional campaign that spanned 257 rounds and five divisions.

After winning over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and becoming the undisputed champion of three weight classes, The 38-year-old retired at what many considered to be the perfect moment. He left a vacant place for an American star who occupies the top positions on most ranking lists.

The likes of Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney will still make their own claims, but stylistically they are more comparable to Floyd Mayweather than Crawford.

Another man who is highly tipped to be America’s next half-pound star and whose attributes can be compared to Crawford’s is Jaron Ennis. Or rather, a promoter Eddie Hearn has said his protégé is the man who will “replace Crawford”.

“I’ve seen all the top fighters. I truly believe Jaron Ennis is the number one prospect pound for pound… I think this guy is going to come through this division, move up to 160 pounds and be a three-weight world champion. I think he’s the guy to replace Terence Crawford. I think he’s that good.”

However, Crawford is not sold yet. I keep talking X he recently said that Ennis “can’t even tie my shoes.”

How he can’t even tie my shoes

— Terence Crawford (@terencecrawford) April 30, 2026

Ennis still has time on his side. Although the fight with Crawford fell through and “Bud” moved up to super welterweight while “Boots” won his aged welterweight belts, he now made it to 154 pounds himself. He is less than two months away from fighting for the unified title against Xander Zayas.

It’s a fight that Crawford supports Ennis winning, but he said he thinks another champion in this division, Sebastian Fundora, will beat the American.

Zayas’ fight is another chance for “Boots” to step out of his compatriot’s shadow and forge his own path. At 28 years aged, fans will be watching this journey for some time to come.

“They tell me that the talks on the unification of the delicate heavyweight division are not going very well. The amount the Kyrgyz fighter is asking for would be too high,” Sabatini wrote on the website X.

The timing is intriguing because Benavidez has been open about wanting Bivol next following his stoppage win over Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez on May 2. Benavidez sounded confident afterward that the fight could come quickly, even talking about how a victory over Bivol would impact his standing in the sport.

The problem is that Bivol still has things to do. His fight with Michael Eifert will take place on May 30, and after the first two fights there is still pressure for a third fight with Artur Beterbiev. Beterbiev has been waiting for the trilogy for over a year.

If money demands do become an issue, Benavidez could be stuck watching Bivol go in a different direction again.

Sabatini also noted that Bivol could risk losing his titles if he decides not to fight Benavidez. This part becomes essential because Benavidez holds the WBC 175 belt while Bivol controls the WBA, IBF and WBO titles. Sanctioning authorities have recently shown little patience with champions delaying mandatory fights or opting for optional fights instead of unifications.

Benavidez has already pushed ideas like a 190-pound catchweight for Bivol. The suggestion seemed like an attempt to maintain some of the size advantage he had during the campaign at 168 and now at 175. Whether Bivol is interested in those terms is another question.

It doesn’t look as certain right now as it did for Benavidez after beating Zurdo. Bivol still has options, and Beterbiev’s trilogy will likely remain the biggest commercial fight.