On the night of November 1 in Riyadh, a WBC super middleweight championship bout took place, featuring former undisputed world champion Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (64-3-2, 39 KOs) against reigning belt holder Christian Mbilli (29-1-1, 24 KOs). The match ended with a unanimous decision victory for the Mexican: the judges' scorecards read 115:112, 116:111, and 117:110 in favor of Alvarez. Immediately after the result was announced, Oleksandr Usyk climbed into the ring to personally congratulate his recent training partner on the triumph.
The Ukrainian Champion's Unexpected Gesture
Oleksandr Usyk's visit to the ring was not limited to formal congratulations. According to Sport RBC.UA, the Ukrainian personally congratulated Canelo on his victory and the return of his championship status, then asked the Mexican for an autograph and even waved the Mexican flag. This gesture became a prominent episode of the night and highlighted the warm relations between two world boxing stars who had trained in the same camp ahead of the bout.
Return After Defeat and Surgery
For the 36-year-old Alvarez, this fight was of special significance. The Mexican last stepped into the ring in September 2025, when he lost to Terence Crawford by unanimous decision and relinquished all of his division's championship belts. Following the setback, the boxer underwent elbow surgery, which kept him out of official competition for a long time. Victory over Mbilli allowed Alvarez to reclaim the WBC super middleweight title and restore his championship status.
Joint Training Camp in Spain
The reason Usyk was in the ring at the moment of celebration relates to pre-match preparations. Ahead of the bout, Canelo spent part of his training camp in Spain, using a base associated with the Ukrainian champion's team. According to sports media reports, in Gandia the boxing stars even performed joint cardio workouts on treadmills. It was this shared work that gave Usyk a special opportunity to personally congratulate his recent sparring partner right after the final bell.
Context: Usyk's Weight Class Change
The episode with Canelo's congratulations occurred against the backdrop of other statements made by the Ukrainian champion. Previously, Usyk publicly spoke about changing his weight class, which became one of the most discussed topics in the boxing community. Thus, stepping into the ring after the Alvarez-Mbilli fight was not only a friendly gesture, but also part of a broader picture of Usyk's training and public activity in the current cycle.
