Canelo Alvarez expects Christian Mbilli to force him into a fight that could steal the show on September 12, and he even compared parts of the fight to James Toney’s elderly style of counter-attacking on the ropes.

Many fans questioned whether Canelo (64-2-2, 39 KO) would take the softer option and choose Mbilli over David Benavidez or Dmitry Bivola. Canelo shot down that idea this week, claiming Mbilla’s high-pressure style is exactly why he wanted the fight.

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Last updated: 28/05/2026 at 18:26

There have been early talks of a super fight between Naoya Inoue and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez being reported in recent months, but despite premonitions that the fight could happen soon, one man is hoping to thwart the plans.

Inoue has reigned in four divisions so far and is arguably number one in terms of pound-for-pound ratio, especially after Oleksandr Usyk’s performance on Saturdayand his career-best win over Junto Nakatani earlier this month further confirmed his quality.

Now some fans are urging “The Monster” to move up to featherweight and try to rule the fifth division, but it looks like he’ll stick around for one more fight at 122 pounds, welcoming unified super flyweight champion Rodriguez.

“Bam” is scheduled to make his bantamweight debut and face WBA champion Antonio Vargas next month, moving up one weight class from Inoue with an eye on securing a super fight next. In an interview with Fighting the noiseHowever, Vargas revealed plans to knock out the Texan.

“For him, I think it’s going to come down to timing and adjustments. Every player has their own rhythm, every player has different timing, so I’m just dialing in the timing and making sure I’m hitting bigger and cleaner shots.”

I believe I will either have to knock him out or take him down a few times to make sure the fight goes in my favor.

“He’s a substantial name, he’s the favorite to win, if the fight is close and I hope it’s not, I think they’ll be more drawn to him so I’m definitely going in there expecting to beat him.”

Vargas then said he felt like he was “overlooked” when whispers about the Inoue-Bam negotiations became public, warning that the rumors lit a “fire” inside him.

“At first it seemed like they were overlooking me, but at the same time it encourages me. As long as I do what I have to do on June 13 after I beat him, there’s no way he’ll be able to fight Inoue.”

The Vargas and Rodriguez fight will take place on June 13 at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Watching Mike Tyson in the slow 1980s and early 1990s was less like watching a boxer and more like watching a superhero come to life.

There were Superman and Spider-Man cartoons on one channel. On the other hand – if his parents allowed it – there was Tyson, a heavyweight destruction machine who resembled the Incredible Hulk and fought like something created in a laboratory before entering the ring.

Tyson tore through the heavyweight division, destroying experienced fighters with terrifying ease. Trevor Berbick, Michael Spinks, Larry Holmes and Tony Tucker eventually became part of the same growing myth.

He was “Iron Mike” and yes, he was “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”

After years of living in this aura, Tyson finally started to believe it himself.

Mike Tyson undefeated

During Tyson’s destruction of Michael Spinks, even Teddy Atlas later compared Tyson’s level that night to Michael Jordan at his absolute peak.

“He was as good that night as any heavyweight in the history of the sport,” Atlas explained.

For a time, Tyson barely looked human to most boxing fans. However, this eventually became part of the problem.

The aura that Tyson created inside the ring spread far beyond it. The fame exploded, the pressure intensified, and the expectation of remaining undefeated became part of his daily existence.

Behind his undefeated image, Tyson later admitted that the reality was completely different.

“Fighting Buster was one of the best things that happened to me,” Tyson admitted years later.

“I was so stressed about being the champion. My hair was falling out and everything. I played like I was still a tough guy, but I was scared to death.”

The illusion has been changed

One night in Tokyo, everything finally collapsed, never to be fully put back together.

James “Buster” Douglas did much more than cause one of the biggest upsets in boxing history when he stopped Tyson in 1990.

He shattered the illusion surrounding the most feared warrior in the world. Eventually, Tyson began to see defeat as something strangely necessary.

“It was a release. It happened. It’s over. Now we have to deal with this adversity,” Tyson said.

“I was an even better fighter because I wasn’t afraid to lose. I did things I had never done before. I was undefeated.”

The fighter who terrified the heavyweights even before the opening bell lost control of the one thing Cus D’Amato always tried to protect – his humility.

“It made me a human being,” Tyson concluded. “I was not an animal or a savage.”

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.