Alalshikh says Canelo will fight in Riyadh despite airport attacks

Boxer Canelo Alvarez is scheduled to fight Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 31 October.

The bout is for the WBC super-middleweight title and is set to take place at Kingdom Arena.

Saudi adviser and boxing matchmaker Turki Alalshikh says Alvarez told him he still plans to fight.

The announcement came after attacks on King Khalid International Airport killed 14 people and injured more than 300, according to Saudi officials.

The airport was closed, and about 60 per cent of scheduled flights were expected to be cancelled on Monday.

The attacks were claimed by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis and have raised concern about a wider escalation in the conflict.

Alvarez has not fought since losing to Terence Crawford in September 2025 and undergoing elbow surgery.

The fight is still scheduled for 31 October, though the airport attacks have raised questions about the event.