Adviser Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority’s board of directors, confirmed that the much-anticipated fight between Mexican boxer Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez and WBC super middleweight world champion Christian M’billi will go ahead as scheduled in Riyadh on Oct. 31.
“Canelo contacted me and told me he will fight in Riyadh in October no matter what... He fears nothing,” Al-Sheikh wrote, responding to questions raised about the fate of the bout after the recent attacks on the Saudi capital.
Attacks on King Khalid airport

The General Authority of Civil Aviation said a projectile struck King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, killing one person and injuring 11. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. A Houthi-claimed attack on the same airport on Saturday killed 13 people and injured more than 300, the deadliest attack on the kingdom in more than a decade.
Canelo returns to the ring
Álvarez, who has held world titles in several weight classes and was twice undisputed super middleweight champion, returns to the ring for the first time since losing to American Terence Crawford in September 2025. The bout is among the biggest boxing events hosted by Riyadh this year.