Fresh bombing attacks on Saudi Arabia have raised more safety concerns over Canelo Alvarez’s return against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh on October 31.
The situation has escalated again with less than four weeks remaining until one of boxing’s biggest stars is due to fight in the Saudi capital.
Attacks were claimed on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and other locations in Saudi Arabia on Monday as fighting also intensified in Yemen.
The Riyadh claim has not been independently verified, but Saudi Arabia has confirmed attacks on airports elsewhere in the country during the latest escalation.
It comes only days after a reported attack on an Aramco facility in Riyadh. Smoke and fire were seen near the facility following the incident.
That leaves Canelo vs Mbilli facing another uncomfortable question over whether Riyadh remains the right place to stage the fight.
Canelo Fight Faces Concerns
World Boxing News reported last week that concerns already existed over staging Canelo vs Mbilli in the region.
WBN understood that an alternative location had been considered if Riyadh became unavailable, with Las Vegas the favorite to host the fight.
The event was only officially confirmed with little more than a month remaining, while tickets also went on sale unusually late.
Those tickets start at just $13.33 despite an event that could potentially carry a bill approaching $100 million when Canelo’s purse, Mbilli’s payment, the undercard and staging costs are taken into account.
Now the security situation has escalated considerably.
It is difficult to see how a high-profile fight involving one of the biggest stars in boxing can proceed without the latest developments being addressed.
Canelo will not want to put himself or his team at unnecessary risk. Mbilli and his camp will undoubtedly require the same assurances.
Turki Alalshikh may therefore have a decision to make soon.
Riyadh Decision Looms
For now, Canelo vs Mbilli remains scheduled for October 31 in Riyadh, with the main event set to begin at 3am local time.
There has been no announcement that the fight will move or be postponed.
However, the situation surrounding Saudi Arabia is changing quickly. The latest attacks come amid renewed fighting, with Saudi airports and infrastructure among the reported targets.
Canelo’s return has already been delayed once after family issues prevented him from beginning training camp on schedule.
“There were some problems in my family that I needed to take care of, but everything is good now,” Canelo previously told The Ariel Helwani Show.
“I’m always very disciplined and very organized with my training camps, and I wasn’t ready to be in training camp. That’s why I postponed the fight. I needed to take care of my family first.”
Canelo is now training to challenge Mbilli for the WBC super middleweight title, but events outside the ring have created another problem.
If the security situation continues to escalate, Alalshikh could face a choice between keeping the event in Riyadh, moving it or potentially pushing back Canelo’s return again.
With October 31 approaching fast, it is a situation that cannot be ignored.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the Editor-in-Chief of World Boxing News (WBN), a BWAA-acknowledged boxing news website founded in 2010. A veteran boxing reporter with 16 years of experience, he has interviewed world champions, broken international exclusives, and reported ringside from major events. His work is published worldwide through WBN and distributed on platforms including Apple News.
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