Canelo still has the pride of a boxing legend. But does he still have the kind of hunger that the champion Mbili will bring on Saturday? With all his accomplishments and generational wealth in the bank, is Canelo still prepared to give everything if the fight isn't going his way? We simply don't know.
It is quite easy to make an argument for either man winning. Canelo has been slowing down in recent years. He throws on average, just 35 punches a round. That's one of the lowest output numbers in boxing. By contrast, Mbili averages 78 punches per round, which puts him among the highest volume punchers.
But while Canelo's volume is low, he punches with extraordinary power and precision, making every shot count. Canelo lands 43 percent of his power punches, which makes him a leader in power punch efficiency.
Those who favour Canelo say that he will easily thread his precise, powerful single shots through Mbili's leaky defence. That will hurt Mbili and force him to back up and lower his output.
Canelo hasn't scored a knockdown since 2021 against Caleb Plant. But it would be foolish to dismiss his punching power. Subsequent opponents, John Ryder, Jermell Charlo, Edgar Berlanga and Jaime ...