Canelo Alvarez remains committed to his world title fight against Christian Mbilli in Saudi Arabia later this month despite a series of deadly missile attacks on the country, according to Saudi boxing official Turki Al-Sheikh.
The former undisputed super-middleweight champion is scheduled to challenge the unbeaten Mbilli for the WBC title in Riyadh on October 31. However, the event has been thrown into uncertainty following attacks on King Khalid International Airport, including a missile strike on Saturday that killed at least 12 people and injured more than 300.
“Canelo reached out and told me he’ll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens,” Al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, wrote on social media. “He fears nothing. My country is home to the two Holy Mosques, land of peace, safety, rich civilization, deep history and kind-hearted people. Thank you to everyone who checked in and showed support. Hard times reveal true friends.”
The attacks, claimed by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, have resulted in the closure of Riyadh’s main international airport and the suspension of flights by several airlines. A second projectile struck a passenger terminal on Sunday, raising further concerns about security ahead of the scheduled bout.
Alvarez, 36, is preparing to return to competition for the first time since his unanimous decision defeat to Terence Crawford in September 2025. The Mexican, who holds a professional record of 63 wins, three losses and two draws, recently acknowledged that his concentration had suffered in the build-up to that contest.
“When you lose, you always look back and look [at] your mistakes,” Alvarez told reporters. “I did a very good preparation for [the] Crawford fight, but in the fight week, my mind wasn’t there.”
Alvarez has been training in Spain ahead of his return and has adjusted his preparations to account for the time difference in Saudi Arabia. His opponent, Mbilli, enters the contest with an unbeaten record of 29 victories, including 24 knockouts. No changes to the October 31 event have been announced, although the ongoing security situation has raised questions about whether the fight can proceed as scheduled.
