Saúl Canelo Álvarez is once again a world champion. The fighter from Guadalajara reclaimed the super middleweight belt of the World Boxing Council (WBC) after defeating Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision, and his trainer, Eddy Reynoso, quickly defended him against criticism surrounding the performance in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Return to the throne: Canelo regained the WBC super middleweight title by beating Christian Mbilli via unanimous decision.
- Reynoso's defense: the trainer called his fighter the most successful boxer in Mexican boxing history.
- Expanded record: Álvarez now has 64 wins, 39 by knockout, plus three losses and two draws.
A boxing masterclass in Riyadh
After the fight, the head of the Canelo Team spoke with Izquierdazo and credited the result to his boxer's tactical intelligence and ability to dictate the terms in the ring. According to Reynoso, the fight plan was executed exactly as intended.
“La verdad, Canelo dio una cátedra de boxeo. Así es como se le tenía que ganar a Mbilli. Lo llevó a su terreno y demuestra por qué Saúl ha logrado y tiene todo lo que tiene, porque es un excelente boxeador”, declaró el entrenador.
The strategist also stressed that the victory allowed the Jalisco native to set a new mark in Mexican boxing: becoming the fighter from the country who has defeated the most undefeated champions. That fact, he argued, places Álvarez above any other Mexican exponent in the sport's history.
“A partir de hoy es el boxeador que a más campeones invictos les ha ganado en México, y es el boxeador más exitoso en la historia del boxeo mexicano le duela a quien le duela, arriba y abajo del ring también”.
Numbers that back the argument
With the win over Mbilli, Álvarez reached 64 victories, 39 of them by knockout, along with three losses and two draws. His record includes championships in the super welterweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
The green and gold WBC belt returns him to the landscape of world champions at 168 pounds. According to Reynoso, controlling the pace, defense and punch selection were the tools that allowed the Mexican to neutralize Mbilli's attempts to seize the initiative.
A duo forged since adolescence
The relationship between Saúl Álvarez and Eddy Reynoso dates back to the boxer's childhood. At age 13 he arrived at the gym of José “Chepo” Reynoso in Guadalajara, and since then the trainer has accompanied his evolution from young prospect to international boxing figure.
Reynoso took on a more direct role when the Guadalajara native prepared to turn professional, and he was in his corner from his debut on October 29, 2005, against Abraham González, when Santos Saúl Álvarez was 15 years old.
Under that guidance, the fighter won world titles in four divisions and in 2021 became the first Mexican to hold the four major belts in a single category, when he was crowned undisputed super middleweight champion. Over the years, the bond went beyond trainer and fighter: Eddy became manager and one of Canelo's most trusted people.
The return of the WBC title comes after Álvarez lost his four 168-pound championships to Terence Crawford in September 2025. For Reynoso, the new triumph reinforces a career he considers without comparison among Mexican boxers, and it leaves open the debate about the place the Guadalajara native will occupy in the history of the national sport.