Mbilli understands what the belt gives him and what it doesn’t.
The WBC title brings visibility. It puts his name in conversations where before it was easy to leave him out. It does not create control over fighters whose careers are already structured around different priorities.
Canelo remains selective by design. Munguia moves on his own timeline. Mbilli’s height does not change that balance. His comments reflect awareness of that. He spoke in terms of respect and opportunity, not right.
There was no printed language. No accusation. No attempt to force a response. The message was simple. He now holds a belt that requires him to be mentioned alongside the division’s leading figures.
As interim champion, Mbilli could be quietly bypassed. As a full champion, it becomes harder to ignore him, even if the result remains unchanged. Mentioning Canelo is less about anticipating the fight and more about confirming where Mbilli places himself in the division.
He earned the right to say that. He remained active while others moved on. He waited through blocked orders and administrative decisions. Now the belt is his, and with it the responsibility to speak like a titleholder.
That doesn’t mean the fight is likely. This means the position has changed.
Mbilli’s immediate future will likely involve a mandatory defense or a second-tier contender than a September bout with Canelo. However, titles are not only established by matches. They are also defined by how a warrior wears them.
For now, Mbilli is doing what new champions do. He identifies the top of the division and places himself within reach, without claiming authority he does not have.
Whether the division moves to him is not his decision.
