Aside from the athletes flying off to Milan to represent their countries at the upcoming Olympic Games, there can’t be many people in the sports world who had a better week than Camille Estephan.
When he launched his boxing promotion, Eye of the Tiger Management, he had one goal in mind: to make Quebec the boxing fortress it once was again. This week, he’s seeing that work pay off.
Mbilli is world champion
Early this week, Christian Mbilli was elevated to WBC world champion status following the announcement that Terence Crawford had retired.
What’s always been tricky with Christian is that he’s extremely difficult to fight. We saw it in his bout with Lester Martinez, and everyone saw it on Netflix. When Mbilli steps into the ring, he gives you no choice but to go to war.
And for many potential opponents, that’s not exactly an appealing proposition. Getting into a fight, ending up concussed for the next two weeks, without even having a world championship belt on the line—that doesn’t attract many people.
Photo: Eottm – Lester Martinez vs Christian Mbilli
But when we say that Eye of the Tiger has reached the top of the mountain, that’s exactly what it means.
The super-middleweight division is currently very likely the most talent-stacked division in all of boxing. And the fact that Mbilli now reigns over it means the best is still yet to come.
Who will he face?
From now on, fighters will have no choice but to go through Christian Mbilli if they want to become WBC world champion. And if we look at who sits atop the rankings, one man stands out: Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, the No. 1 contender.
For a long time, this fight was considered out of reach for Mbilli—many believed Canelo would never give him the opportunity to face him. But now, not only could Solide fight him, he’s the one holding the cards. It’s no longer up to Mbilli to go and take the belt from Canelo; it’s the other way around.
Moreover, on January 30, Turki Al-Sheikh posted an Instagram reel showing Christian Mbilli and Saul Alvarez shaking hands. Could that be a sign of what’s to come?
Only time will tell.
Photo: IG – Canelo Alvarez, Turki Alalshikh et Christian Mbilli
In any case, even if it isn’t Canelo, the names of Hamzah Sheeraz, Jaime Munguia, and Lester Martinez remain at the top of the WBC rankings. No matter who Mbilli faces in his first title defense, it’s shaping up to be a spectacle.
And a very lucrative one.
Arslanbek Makhmudov vs. none other than Tyson Fury
And as if the news of Mbilli officially becoming world champion weren’t enough for Eye of the Tiger, we also received confirmation that Arslanbek Makhmudov will be the next opponent of none other than the “Gypsy King,” Tyson Fury.
On April 11, “The Lion” will have the chance to play spoiler and ruin Tyson Fury’s comeback. Makhmudov has an opportunity to send Fury into retirement once and for all—and not on just any platform. In front of the entire world, in the main event of a card broadcast on Netflix.
We’ve seen it against Deontay Wilder: Tyson Fury can absorb punches in an almost superhuman way. And unfortunately for Arslanbek, raw punching power is precisely where the scales tip in Fury’s favor. For that reason, Fury should theoretically be able to win the fight.
It’s a massive challenge—there’s no doubt about that. Tyson Fury remains dangerous even though he hasn’t seen action since December 2024. But boxing wouldn’t be the same sport if there were never any surprises.
This is unquestionably the biggest moment of Makhmudov’s career, and he knows that a victory could change his life. It remains to be seen whether Fury will simply be too much for him.
Photo: IG – Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov
In short, boxers based in Quebec are increasingly making their way onto the international stage.
That’s a positive sign for fans, as high-quality fight cards will be presented in Quebec in the not-too-distant future.
Yes, Eye of the Tiger has reached the top of the mountain, but they’re here to stay. The coming years promise to be glorious for Quebec boxing.
