Christian Mbilli (22-0, 20 KOs) is thrilled to be fighting before his French fans for the first time in the three years, in the main event of La réunion boxe exceptionnelle on December 17 at the Neodiff Hall XXL of the Parc des Expositions de la Beaujoire in Nantes.

His French countryman Souleymane Cissokho (15-0, 9 KOs) will be featured in the semi-final of what promises to be an electrifying evening.

Mbilli's performances have allowed him to catapult to the top of the super-middleweight division. Thanks to his second-round knockout of DeAndre Ware in his last fight, a defense of his WBC Continental of the Americas title at the Cabaret du Casino de Montréal, he is now in possession of a second title: the WBA International.

The sheer brutality of his previous victory, in which he sent French veteran Nadjib Mohammedi to the mat in the fifth round, unequivocally put him on the map, as images of that fight spread like wildfire across the boxing world. Mbilli’s stellar rise up the rankings demonstrates without a doubt that he has already earned his place among elite 168 lb. fighters. His only goal now is to be world champion, and his successes to date show that he has what it takes. His French fight is one more step in his battle for international recognition.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for such a long time. To step into the ring in front of a home crowd is a privilege and extremely motivating! I intend to not only bring home another victory, but also show that boxing has its place in France. This will be a unifying event, and I intend to dazzle the 11,000 fans who will be there!” exclaimed an enthusiastic Mbilli.

In keeping with the goal of propelling Christian toward a world championship fight, EOTTM president Camille Estephan is convinced that the Nantes fight will be a showcase for his protégé, not only in France but also around the world.

“It’s promising to see Christian as the main event of this gala. Showcasing him in France, as well as in Québec, is part of out strategy to increase his popularity throughout the world. I know that he will become a boxing superstar.”

"I am honored that Christian has agreed to work with us in France to organize his next fight in front of his family and fans. He will be boxing at home just a few miles from his hometown. We are working closely with Eye of the Tiger to find him the best possible opponent and to offer the public an explosive fight," said the promoter of the event and president of All Star Boxing, Jerome Abiteboul.