Oscar De La Hoya believes Canelo Alvarez is entering the final phase of his career, and pointed to his reported September fight against Christian Mbilli as part of that direction.
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Canelo Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli has been reported as a done deal, targeting the Mexican Independence Day weekend in September 2026, although an exact date has not been officially confirmed.
De La Hoya said Alvarez is no longer at the same stage as earlier in his run.
“Every fighter has their peak, and then you start to see the exit clearly, and Canelo is right there,” De La Hoya told Sean Zittel. “He’s a few fights away from retirement. I don’t blame him for taking the money and running. I don’t blame him. I mean, smart guy.”
De La Hoya’s “payoff” narrative feels so disconnected from the tactical reality of this match. Calling Christian Mbilli a “take the money and run” opponent suggests that Oscar may be looking at the name recognition rather than the film.
If a fighter is looking for an easy exit, you don’t pick a 31-year-old high-volume puncher like Mbilli.
Canelo is 35, coming off left elbow surgery, and coming off a decision loss to Crawford, where he looked stagnant in the championship rounds. Taking on a pressure fighter like Mbilli in Riyadh is a massive gamble.
De La Hoya acknowledged Alvarez still has meaningful fights left before he walks away.
“He’s got some good fights left in him against big fighters,” Oscar said.
If Mbilli drowns Canelo in volume or even wipes him out, De La Hoya’s timeline for those remaining “good fights” evaporates instantly. The narrative that he has some left implies that he can still compete at the elite level, but the 168 pound division has shifted to younger, more physically imposing fighters.
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Last updated on 2026/05/01 at 17:31
