WBC #1 Christian Mbilli is finally getting his long-awaited opportunity.
The unbeaten 29-year-old will lock horns with Poland’s Maciej Sulecki for the WBC Interim super-middleweight world title on Friday, June 27, at Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada.
Promoted by Eye of the Tiger, Mbilli vs Sulecki will stream live and exclusively in the U.S. on ESPN+.
“Christian Mbilli is one of the most exciting fighters in boxing today, and this is the moment he’s been waiting for,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “He’s taking on a tough, experienced veteran in Maciej Sulecki, who’s coming off a huge upset. This has all the makings of a firefight in front of one of North America’s best boxing crowds.”
Montreal-based Mbilli (28-0, 23 KOs), a 2016 Olympian from France by way of Cameroon, turned pro in 2017 and impressively reeled off 13 straight knockouts.
Since then, all but five of his victories have come inside the distance. In 2024, he solidified his status as the division’s top contender by dismantling Rohan Murdock in six rounds in January, then he iced out British boxer Mark Heffron within 40 seconds in May.
‘Solide’ Mbilli reached 28-0 with a dominant yet grueling 10-round unanimous decision win over former world title challenger Sergiy Derevyanchenko.
The Frenchman is now WBC #1, WBA #1, IBO #1, WBO #2, IBF #13.
Mbilli said, “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, I’ve worked so hard to get here, and there’s no way I’m leaving without the belt on June 27. I want to salute my opponent for having the courage to accept this challenge. But once we’re in the ring, he’ll have to face all the intensity and rage I’ve built up against those who refused to fight me.”
“A world title is on the line, but in Christian Mbilli’s case, it’s also the culmination of a lifetime of work. That’s why we’re confident he won’t miss his chance,” said Eye of the Tiger President Camille Estephan.
Sulecki (33-3, 13 KOs) is a 35-year-old experienced veteran whose only defeats have come against former world champions Daniel Jacobs and Demetrius Andrade, along with unbeaten contender Diego Pacheco.
The two-time world title challenger bounced back from the Pacheco loss in 2024 by traveling to Kazakhstan in February to take on unbeaten slugger Ali Akhmedov in front of a hostile crowd.
The Warsaw warrior outworked the younger Akhmedov, building a lead on the cards before closing the show with a 10th-round TKO.
Sulecki said, “This fight is between me and Canelo, so we can square away our beef from sparring. Of course, Christian Mbilli will not be an easy fight, but I have never felt better since my return with my trainer. I am in a great place with my team, and everyone is doing their part. On June 27, I will make sure I do mine with a statement in his hometown.”
In the co-feature, Erik Bazinyan (32-1-1, 23 KOs), an 11-year pro from Armenia who moved to Canada as a teenager, faces Steven Butler (35-5-1, 29 KOs), who has twice fought for a world title. These two Canadian super-middleweights possess 67 wins and 52 KOs between them.
Heavyweight knockout artist Arslanbek Makhmudov (19-2, 18 KOs) returns in a 10-rounder against unbeaten Ontario-based Ricardo Brown (12-0, 11 KOs), and junior lightweight contender Leïla Beaudoin (12-1, 1 KO) will battle against former world champion Elhem Mekhaled (17-3, 3 KOs) in a 10-rounder.
21-year-old junior welterweight phenom Jhon Orobio (13-0, 11 KOs), undefeated lightweight Luis Santana (13-0, 6 KOs) and Quebec City native Wilkens Mathieu (13-0, 9 KOs) will all appear on the undercard.
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