Canelo Alvarez climbs back into top 10 after winning WBC belt

Canelo Alvarez is back in the conversation.

The 36-year-old Mexican fighter returned to the ring last Saturday after a 13-month absence to claim the WBC super middleweight title. He defeated Christian Mbilli by unanimous decision, a victory that saw Alvarez dominate the second half of the bout. This win marks his return to the pound-for-pound rankings after a period where he had fallen out of the top ten.

Alvarez had not fought since losing his undisputed super middleweight championship to Terence Crawford. That defeat occurred in September of last year, just weeks before Crawford turned 38 and retired. The current fight served as a test of Alvarez's longevity and skill following elbow surgery and a long layoff. He answered that test by displaying precise counterpunching and effective head movement throughout the contest.

The victory places Alvarez at number nine on the updated pound-for-pound list. He moves above Devin Haney, who sits at number eight. Haney dropped and handled Brian Norman Jr. last November to become a three-division champion. Haney is scheduled to face Liam Paro in December to unify the 147-pound titles.

At the top of the rankings, Naoya Inoue holds the number one spot. The undisputed junior featherweight champion, who is 33-0 with 27 knockouts, secured a career-defining win over Junto Nakatani in May. That fight took place before a sellout crowd of 55,000 at the Tokyo Dome. Jesse Rodriguez and David Benavidez occupy the number two and three positions, respectively.

David Benavidez, the unified cruiserweight champion, made history by becoming the first boxer to win titles at 168, 175, and 200 pounds. He defeated Gilberto Ramirez to achieve this milestone. Benavidez is set to fight Michael Cieslak on December 12 in a bid to further unify his division. Below him, Shakur Stevenson and Oleksandr Usyk hold the number four and five spots, maintaining their previous standings.

Dmitry Bivol, the unified light heavyweight champion, sits at number six. The 35-year-old recovered from back surgery and won a wide decision over Michael Eifert in May. He will face Callum Smith on December 12 after undergoing elbow surgery in July. Jaron Ennis and Devin Haney round out the top eight, while O'Shaquie Foster remains at number ten. Foster recently unified a trio of 130-pound titles against Emanuel Navarrete in October.

Alvarez has stated his desire for rematches against Terence Crawford and Dmitry Bivol. His performance against Mbilli demonstrates that he remains a formidable opponent in the 168-pound division. The updated rankings reflect current form and recent results, with Alvarez now officially recognized in the top ten once again.