Canelo Alvarez's victory over Christian Mbilli to reclaim the WBC super-middleweight title has been marred by controversy. Mbilli's promoter, Camille Estephan, claims the referee was influenced by Canelo during the fight. In the eighth round, referee Hector Afu deducted a point from Mbilli after Canelo gestured following an exchange on the ropes.
Estephan stated it seemed the referee took the instruction, though he could not know the official's mindset. Canelo won by unanimous decision with scores of 115-112, 116-111, and 117-110. Estephan added that despite the result, Mbilli belongs in big future fights.
Canelo returned after a year away, having lost his undisputed status to Terence Crawford. Mbilli, 31, was elevated to full WBC champion following Crawford's exit. Mbilli previously held the interim title after beating Maciej Sulecki.
On the undercard, Mbilli fought to a split draw with Lester Martinez, ending his 29-fight winning streak. In a social media post, Mbilli thanked his team and supporters, stating he would return stronger.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing