Christian Mbilli is Positioned to Challenge a Named Top Contender
After a successful debut on ESPN, super middleweight contender Christian “Solide” Mbilli (22-0, 20KO), already ranks number three by the WBC. Could he face a named top contender?
STATEMENT MADE AND WHAT IS NEXT
Mbilli dominated the fight early on against DeAndre “Axeman” Ware. He put the pressure on from the sound of the bell with hard body shots and did a good job cutting off the ring. Ware was floored in the early portion of round one and barely survived. Mbilli ended the night with two brutal knockdowns in round two in front of the adopted Canadian fans.
If the boxing community had no idea about Mbilli, they got a glimpse of his talents and power despite the fight only lasting two rounds. Ware came hoping to provide a test for Solide and did not get a chance to push the 27-year-old resident from France. So, the question remains: who can provide that much-needed test to see if he is truly the goods?
The super middleweight division is likely to stagnate until the kingpin, undisputed champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, deals with the trilogy against unified middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin. There are plenty of solid opponents with championship experience that can take Mbilli deep into a fight.
MBILLI HAS PLENTY OF OPTIONS
First, there is former two-time title contender Jesse Hart (28-3, 22KO). He has never been stopped and is ranked number seven by the WBC. Hart shared the ring with a hard puncher in former WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. He is more than capable of pushing Mbilli beyond his limits.
Lerrone Richards (16-0, 3KO) is another good match-up, Richards, ranked #10 (WBC) and #11 (IBF), has expressed feeling like he is being looked over and recently left Matchroom Boxing. A fight featuring Mbilli and Richards could put them both on the radar.
Former middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs (37-4 30KO) is coming off a loss to John Ryder. Ranked #6 (WBC) and #9 (WBO), he still has enough life in those legs to make for an intriguing match-up.
Lastly, if the goal is to go for a mandatory position, then a fight against WBC Silver titlist Pavel Silyagin (11-0, 5KO) fits the bill. He has a deep amateur pedigree with talent that betrays his record.
It will be interesting to see which direction team Mbilli decides to go next as there are plenty of options.
By: Garrisson Bland
