Canelo Alvarez remains on course to fight Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the WBC super-middleweight title on October 31, despite the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Riyadh's King Khalid airport has been bombed in recent days, and the UK government is warning against non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia, while the US advises citizens to reconsider travel there.
Despite those risks, the show currently looks set to go ahead. Mbilli's promoter, Camille Estephan, told Sky Sports: "Christian will arrive in Saudi as planned. I'm very confident the fight goes ahead and Mbilli will keep his belt and dethrone Canelo, God willing."
The bout is significant for Canelo, as it will be his first since Terence Crawford defeated him in a spectacular performance in 2025. When Crawford retired, the super-middleweight titles scattered. Canada's Mbilli is undefeated, winning the WBC interim 168lb belt by beating Maciej Sulecki. He retained the strap in a draw with Lester Martinez last year and was then upgraded to full world champion when Crawford vacated the title.
Mexican superstar Canelo, looking to return with a win and reclaim his old title, has boxed in Riyadh once before, earning a unanimous points win over William Scull. Other sports events, including tennis' Six Kings Slam, that were due to take place in Riyadh have been postponed.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing