Boxing star Canelo Alvarez arrived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Monday, Oct. 26 for his upcoming fight without mention of a far more serious conflict.
Alvarez is moving forward with his boxing match against WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli despite deadly missile and drone strikes between a Saudi-led coalition and Yemen's Houthi rebels backed by Iran.
On Oct. 10, at least 12 people were killed and more than 300 injured in an attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, according to BBC. Other airports have been attacked, and it's unclear which airport Alvarez arrived at.
"I feel great,’’ Alvarez, the 36-year-old from Mexico, told Reuters. “I can't wait to step in the ring."
The U.S. Department of
State has issued a travel advisory that reads, “Reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia due to ongoing risks of drone and missile targeting by Iran and Iran-backed Houthi rebels, armed conflict, terrorism, and strict local laws.’’
But reports about Alvarez’s arrival indicated he is focused on his fight set for Oct. 31, not the violence leading to the U.S. State Department travel advisory.
But a title bout on the undercard was canceled because of apparent safety concerns, according to multiple reports.
Lindolfo Delgado, who was scheduled to fight Arthur Biyarslanov for the vacant IBF super lightweight bout, has remained in the United States, according to Lance Pugmire of Boxing Scene.
Sports events in Saudi Arabia that have been postponed or rescheduled include The Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition, the PIF Saudi International Asian Tour golf tournament and Al Nassr's AFC Champions League Elite soccer match against UAE team Al Wasl.
'My body needed rest'
Alvarez, a former two-time undisputed super middleweight champion, will fight for the first time since losing to Terence Crawford in September 2025.
"I think my body needed that kind of rest,'' Alvarez told Reuters, "and now I feel like it has been 10 years without fighting, so I just can't wait to step in the ring."
Referring to his loss to Crawford by unanimous decision, Alvarez also said, “Little mistakes are the difference between winning and losing ... I know what I did in the last fight," he said. "The week of the fight my mind wasn't there but ... things happen, I learn and that's it, we need to move forward."
Alvarez is 63-3-2 with 39 knockouts.
Mbilli, at 31, is five years younger than Alvarez and is 29-0-1 with 24 knockouts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Canelo Alvarez arrives in Saudi Arabia despite US travel warning ahead of fight
