Mbilli understands what the belt gives him and what it does not.
The WBC title brings visibility. It puts his name into conversations where it was previously 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 is moving on his own timeline. Mbilli’s elevation does not change that balance. His comments reflected awareness of it. He spoke in terms of respect and opportunity, not entitlement.
There was no pressure 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 bypassed quietly. As a full champion, ignoring him becomes more difficult, even if the outcome remains unchanged. Mentioning Canelo is less about expecting the fight and more about confirming where Mbilli places himself within the division.
He has earned the right to say it. He stayed active while others moved on. He waited through stalled orders and administrative decisions. Now the belt is his, and with it comes the responsibility to speak like a titleholder.
That does not mean the fight is likely. It means the position has changed.
Mbilli’s near term future is more likely to involve a mandatory defence or a second tier contender than a September bout with Canelo. Titles, however, are not established only through matchmaking. They are also defined by how a fighter carries them.
For now, Mbilli is doing what new champions do. He is identifying the top of the division and placing himself within reach, without claiming authority he does not have.
Whether the division moves toward him is not his decision.
