Canelo Alvarez Option Puts Chistian Mbilli in Risky Waiting Game

Mandatory rematch with Lester Martinez threatens Mbilli’s path to Canelo Alvarez fight

Christian Mbilli’s path to a Canelo Alvarez fight depends on a WBC ruling that could instead mandate a rematch with Lester Martinez. His next fight is not yet confirmed.

Mbilli holds the WBC super-middleweight title, but his position is not settled. The belt came after Terence Crawford vacated following his win over Alvarez and subsequent retirement. Since then, Mbilli has not fought, and his last outing ended in a draw with Lester Martinez.

That draw is now part of the problem. Martinez returned, picked up a win, and sits as interim champion again, putting himself back in line for a mandated rematch. If the WBC orders it, Mbilli has no choice.

“It is possible that they mandate us to fight Lester Martinez. If they tell us to fight Martinez, we will follow. We are not trying to escape from anybody,” said Marc Ramsay, the trainer for Mbilli, in an interview with Boxingnewsonline on whether to face the interim champion Lester Martinez in a rematch or not, or fight Canelo.

That sounds cooperative, but it also shows the risk. Mbilli can’t move toward Alvarez unless the WBC steps aside. And Alvarez is already targeting a September return.

By saying they are “waiting on the WBC,” Ramsay is basically signal-flaring to Mauricio Sulaiman. He’s essentially saying: “We’ll fight Martinez if we have to, but don’t kill the Canelo payday for us.”

The WBC is in a bit of a bind, and history suggests they’ll take the path that keeps their most lucrative star, Canelo Alvarez, in the “green and gold” fold.

Here is how I see the WBC is likely to play this: The most probable outcome is that the WBC forces the Mbilli-Martinez rematch for this summer. By ordering the rematch, the WBC technically “occupies” Mbilli. Since Lester just recaptured the interim title on March 21 by beating Immanuwel Aleem, he has a fresh mandatory claim.

This removes the immediate pressure on Canelo to face a high-risk “human buzzsaw” like Mbilli in September. Canelo is 35 and coming off a loss to Terence Crawford. Mbilli is a volume puncher who doesn’t stop coming forward, which is the last thing Team Canelo wants for a “comeback” fight.

There is a subtle political angle here. Lester Martinez is a stablemate of Terence Crawford, and both are under trainer Brian “Bomac” McIntyre.

If Martinez beats Mbilli in the rematch, the WBC can pitch a Canelo vs. Martinez fight for September or early 2027. This is a much easier “sell” for Canelo. Martinez is a heavy hitter but lacks the relentless, suffocating volume that makes Mbilli so dangerous. Plus, it gives Canelo a chance to get “revenge” on Crawford’s camp by beating his teammate.