Alvarez willing to fight in Riyadh despite airport attacks, Saudi official says

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  Brett OkamotoOct 11, 2026, 03:05 PM ET

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  Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.

Despite escalating violence in the region, Canelo Alvarez is still willing to fight in Saudi Arabia at the end of this month, according to Saudi government official and boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh.

Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs) is scheduled to challenge Christian Mbilli (29-0, 24 KOs) for the WBC super middleweight championship in Riyadh on Oct. 31. On Saturday, Yemen's Houthi rebels launched an attack on the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that reportedly killed 12 and injured over 300.

"Canelo reached out and told me he'll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens," Alalshikh wrote in a social media post Sunday. "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."

According to a Saudi-led coalition, another projectile struck a passenger terminal at the Riyadh airport Sunday, causing further undisclosed injuries. As of Sunday, the U.S. government has issued an ongoing security alert that "strongly recommends all U.S. citizens avoid this airport and surrounding areas."

Alvarez, 36, is set to make his first appearance since he suffered a decision loss to Terence Crawford in September 2025. He has previously fought in Riyadh once, in May 2025.