Mexican boxer Saul "Canelo" Alvarez will go ahead with his fight against World Boxing Council (WBC) super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli on October 31 in Riyadh, despite recent attacks on the Saudi capital. The announcement came from Turki Al ash-Sheikh, chairman of the kingdom's General Entertainment Authority, according to infohub.kz.
According to the official, Alvarez contacted him personally after the attacks and confirmed he was ready to step into the ring.
"Canelo called me and said he would fight in Riyadh in October no matter what happens. He fears nothing. My country is home to the Two Holy Mosques — a land of peace, security, a rich civilization, ancient history and kind-hearted people. Thank you to everyone who showed concern and offered support. In difficult times you learn who your true friends are," Al ash-Sheikh wrote on X.
The fate of the boxing event was thrown into question after a series of attacks on Saudi Arabia. On October 10, a missile — for which Yemen's Houthis claimed responsibility — struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The death toll from the strike rose to 13, with more than 300 people injured.
On October 11, the airport came under fire again. One person was killed and 11 others were wounded. In total, 18 people died over the course of a week in several attacks on the air hub. The Houthis have also warned of possible new strikes on targets in Saudi Arabia.
Alvarez and Mbilli will contest the WBC super middleweight belt. The 36-year-old Mexican has not fought since September 2025, when he lost to Terence Crawford by unanimous decision. His professional record stands at 63 wins, three losses and two draws.
Mbilli holds the WBC title and remains unbeaten, with 29 wins and one draw. The fight with Canelo was originally scheduled for September 12 but was postponed because of a delay in Alvarez's training camp.
Kazakhstan's Bek Nurmaganbet will fight on the undercard of the "Mexico vs The World" event. The unbeaten super middleweight will face Mexico's Marcos Vazquez. Nurmaganbet has 16 wins in 16 professional bouts, 14 of them by knockout.