Newly crowned WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli told WBN he is fully open to the idea of facing Chris Eubank Jr. at 168 pounds.
“Of course! See, that’s what I’m talking about. Eubank, it would be a great fight. It would also be a fan-friendly fight. I would love to represent Cameroon in France and Quebec in Canada all over the world.”
There was no break. Without hesitation, Mbilli recently spoke to World Boxing News.
Mbilli has a record of 29-0-1, 24 knockouts and has a breakthrough in the Canelo vs. Crawford match. The next step was supposed to be a rematch with Lester Martinez, but the WBC champion is already thinking about bigger evenings after the draw in Las Vegas.
Because he wants a night at the stadium
Eubank is the perfect name to start his reign, assuming a lucrative title defense against Canelo Alvarez doesn’t come to fruition.
Facing the Briton is attracting attention, especially in the UK stadium, after Eubank Jr’s two epic battles with Conor Benn.
Mbilli admitted he didn’t watch the full Eubank vs. Benn fights, but he felt the scale of them.
“I didn’t see the fight, but I saw clips of it and even in my last fight in a huge stadium in Las Vegas, I felt that kind of energy and the atmosphere in the crowd. I would love to feel that again.”
This experience stayed with him.
“It’s a blessing to fight in front of so many people, as a boxer, but also as an artist.”
Mbilli talks about these nights as if they were a goal, not a bonus. The feeling that the fight matters outside the ring. He wants it again – and a name like Eubank Jr. it fits this image immediately.
Eubank’s movement creates a title window
Eubank Jr. he’s headed to super middleweight after his latest disappointment, and this move changes the options before him.
He has never won a world title, so the goal at 168 pounds is obvious. He needs a run to the belt and a fight to get him back into the fight.
This is where Mbilli sees an opportunity. This is a real fight that can be sold. But this also carries risks for Eubank.
Benn’s loss will follow him. Fair or not, a welterweight loss is a result that could derail a title fight if it isn’t immediately followed by a victory.
Facing the undefeated WBC 168 champion would be the opposite of a return to form.
Vegas, Wembley or London next summer
Ask Mbilli where it’s happening and he doesn’t limit his vision. Britain would be a solid stage for Mbilli to shine.
There is also a practical aspect. Mbilli has been linked with a possible shot at Canelo Alvarez on September 12, but if that doesn’t happen, a fight with Eubank would make sense this year or even next summer in London.
Fan-friendly, but not unthreatening
Mbilli is not fighting carefully. He comes forward and forces his opponents to work. Eubank Jr. he also never participated in uninteresting fights.
That’s why Mbilli called it “fan-friendly”. It’s not just a call. It’s a clash of styles that sells – and has consequences in the form of a world title fight.
For Eubank, this could be the fight he needs if all he has left is a world title shot. And for Mbilla, that’s the kind of name that turns a champion into a headline.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN), boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Britain has produced some great heavyweights in recent years, ending an almost century-long curse and seeing success in the division ever since. Predicting the outcome of the clash between two of the best fighters in the country, Lennox Lewis and Tyson Fury, Roy Jones Jr said it would be a “great fight”.
Bob Fitzsimmons became the first British world heavyweight champion in 1897, and he and Jones remain the only two fighters in boxing history to have won both middleweight and heavyweight world titles.
However, Great Britain struggled for success in the division after the Fitzsimmons fight, unable to claim heavyweight supremacy until Lennox Lewis became WBC world champion in 1992. Britain has since crowned its title 11th world heavyweight championFabio Wardley, who follows in the footsteps of Fury and Anthony Joshua.
In an interview with Grosvenor CasinoJones said he would give Lewis an advantage over the “Gypsy King” if they met in their prime.
“Tyson Fury vs. Lennox Lewis? That would be a great fight, but my first thought was Lennox Lewis because of his power. But my second thought was also that Tyson Fury was great at making adjustments. I would go with Lennox Lewis.”
At least one heavyweight world title is expected to remain in a Briton’s hands for some time, with Daniel Dubois scheduled to face another Briton, Fabio Wardley, for the WBO belt next month.
In the meantime, we hope 21-year-old Moses Itauma can continue Britain’s success for many years to come, with the youngster considered by many to be the hottest prospect in boxing.
As for Fury, he is focused on the UK-wide megafight with Joshua – their own ‘Battle of Britain’ after Lennox fought Frank Bruno in 1993.
“Derrick James, he started getting a little more players and a little more buzz, and I feel like our communication has changed,” Charlo told Brian Custer.
Charlo said that as James built a larger stable, there was less hands-on time spent with him and more trying to control the gym environment. He claimed that James wanted things done his way, including telling players to remove dogs from the gym during training sessions and changing the atmosphere that helped build their success.
Charlo has been out of the ring since his loss to Saul Alvarez in 2023, and James recently split from Errol Spence Jr. A coach once considered one of the safest hands in the sport is suddenly facing public criticism from two of his biggest names.
“He wanted it his way,” Charlo said. “Coach needs us. Don’t overdo it, coach. Serene down, coach. I was your first champion.”
He also pointed to his camp leading up to the Alvarez fight, saying the support around him wasn’t the same when he needed it most.
“You don’t enter into a world title fight like that,” Charlo said.
Charlo still believes he can regain his spot in the junior middleweight division, and talks about a possible fight with Sebastian Fundora are ongoing later this year. His confidence hasn’t changed, but his patience with ancient alliances has noticeably changed. Sometimes a rift begins when success changes the room.
However, ‘AJ’ instead maintained that he would prefer a warm-up fight first, with the Londoner expected to return to action in July, ahead of a long-awaited meeting with his arch-rival in November.
I’m talking to talkSPORT BoxingHamed was looking forward to this match and suggested that a draw could be on the cards.
“Who do I think will win the fight between AJ and Fury? Well, that is the question and everyone wants to know.
“Years ago, Tyson had this awkward style for me where he could make AJ look stupid, that’s true. Now everything has changed. Tyson seemed to have backed off a little bit.
“But with Tyson Fury you never know, maybe one night he’ll show up and box amazingly and do what he did to Wilder. Those first few rounds [against Makhmudov]I was a little disappointed that he didn’t go from the start.
“This is going to sound crazy to you, but would it be unbelievable if I said it could be a draw?”
It is unclear whether Fury will also fight in the summer or whether he will avoid risking a lucrative romance with Joshua and wait patiently on the sidelines.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.