Canelo vs Mbilli still on for 31 October in Riyadh despite Houthi strikes, says Turki Alalshikh

Canelo Alvarez vs Christian Mbilli will go ahead in Riyadh on Saturday 31 October 2026, Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh says, despite the week of Houthi missile strikes on the city's airport. The fight, for Mbilli's WBC super-middleweight title, is set for The Venue in Riyadh, Sherdog reported.

What Turki Alalshikh said

Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority and the kingdom's main boxing promoter, posted on X on 11 October that Alvarez had contacted him personally: "Canelo reached out and told me he'll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens." He added, "He fears nothing," and "Hard times reveal true friends," Al Jazeera reported.

The post came a day after the deadliest strike on Saudi soil in more than a decade: a missile hit King Khalid International Airport on Saturday 10 October, killing 13 people and wounding more than 300, and a second strike on Sunday killed one person, a Pakistani resident, and wounded 11. The airport has been closed or running a reduced schedule since. Our Riyadh airport story has the latest on flights.

The fight

• Canelo Alvarez, the Mexican former two-time undisputed super-middleweight champion, has not fought since he lost to Terence Crawford in September 2025. This is his first fight back and a chance to win a world title at 168 pounds again.
• Christian Mbilli is the reigning WBC super-middleweight champion.
• Date: Saturday 31 October 2026. The organisers have not yet confirmed ring-walk times. Riyadh is two hours behind Pakistan, so add two hours to the Riyadh time once it is announced; a late-night main event will fall in the early hours of Sunday 1 November in Pakistan.

Can Pakistani fans travel for it?

Not easily right now. PIA's Riyadh flights are suspended, and foreign embassies have told their citizens to avoid Saudi airports. If you are planning to travel for the fight, wait for airlines to restore normal schedules and check our PIA Riyadh helplines story. For ticket and travel costs in rupees, use the currency converter with today's riyal rate.

UFC and other fight dates in Pakistan time are on our UFC schedule page. We will add the PKT start time and where to watch in Pakistan when they are confirmed.