Super middleweight contender Christian Mbilli burst into boxing’s consciousness with a dominant display on the Artur Beterbiev-Callum Smith undercard two months ago. 

Mbilli (26-0, 22 KOs) produced a thunderous performance to retire Australia’s Rohan Murdock at the end of the sixth round at the Centre Videotron in Quebec City, Canada. Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has since signed Mbilli, a Cameroon-born Frenchman who has adopted Canada as yet another home, to a co-promotional deal with Eye of the Tiger.

“To sign with Bob Arum and ESPN+ is great news for us,” Mbilli told BoxingScene. “We will work together for me to become a world champion. Signing with Top Rank will make it easier for us to do this. 

“[This] is going to be a big year. We will be looking to have some great fights. We will have two big fights on ESPN. I hope for a title, but I don’t know yet.”

A bottleneck effect has taken place at 168 pounds as serious contenders start to pile up in the mandatory positions for Saul “Canelo” Alvarez’s undisputed title.

“You know that there are many good fighters there that want to become world champion, but this guy does what he wants with the titles,” Mbilli said. “He boxed [Jermell] Charlo, he keeps wanting to fight guys in a different division. It is frustrating, but I have to focus on my training and focus on all the things me and my team have control over. We are waiting for my time.”

Mbilli is on the cusp of world glory, ranked within the top four of all the governing bodies’ ratings. His journey in boxing wouldn’t start until he emigrated from Cameroon.

“I moved to France at 11 years old with my mother because she married a French guy,” Mbilli said. “Now he’s my father. I moved there before I started boxing. At the time, I played soccer.”

Mbilli said he didn’t start boxing until age 15 – but when it happened for him, it happened quickly. After five months in the gym, he had landed on the French national team. Soon after, he became French champion, European champion and, in 2016, an Olympian.

“Marc Ramsey found me after the Olympic qualifications in Bulgaria,” Mbilli said. “He called to congratulate me and to maybe have a meeting after the Olympics. When Marc first called, I wanted to go with him immediately because the amateurs were not for me. My goal was always to be a professional.

“I had seen Marc Ramsey with Jean Pascal and Artur Beterbiev; he is a great trainer. I came to Montreal to visit Marc, he showed me how he works with his boxers and how I can live in Montreal.”

After just three days in Montreal, Mbilli was hooked. In 2017, he made a permanent move there.

“It’s a very good city,” Mbilli said of Montreal. “It is my new home. … I will stay my whole life in Montreal.”

Despite the relocation, Mbilli, 28, still has hopes of boxing in his first adopted homeland. He has seen the majority of his career split between France and Canada.

“It has been three years since my last fight in France,” Mbilli said. “Maybe I can defend my title in France, in Paris, in a big event. I hope, because I have a lot of fans there. I think it will be great to have a big fight there.”

Until a return home, Mbilli’s eyes are fixed firmly across the Atlantic, on the biggest names at super middleweight.

“I think Caleb Plant is a good fight,” Mbilli said. “Edgar Berlanga is a very good fight, too. Jaime Munguia, I messaged him on Instagram, but he and his team were in negotiations with Canelo. Daniel Jacobs, too – he has a comeback fight soon. I need a big name.”

Mbilli said he has no confirmed date for a return, but he believes it will happen in May. And he still holds out hope that, in the near future, the 168-pound division shakes out – with a big fight featuring his name on the marquee.

“I think it is good that Canelo is going to defend his title soon,” Mbilli said. “It has been a long time since he did. The super middleweight division is good right now, it is very strong. I hope that after Canelo’s easy fight with [Jaime] Munguia, he will take some risks and fight me.”