Canelo insists Riyadh title fight goes ahead after deadly airport attacks
Canelo Alvarez still plans to fight in Riyadh on 31 October despite deadly missile strikes on the city's main airport, according to Saudi boxing chief Turki al-Sheikh.
Al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, said on Sunday that Alvarez had personally assured him he remained committed to the bout. He wrote on social media that Alvarez told him he will still fight in Riyadh this October no matter what happens, The Guardian reported.
The fight sees Alvarez challenge unbeaten Christian Mbilli for the WBC super-middleweight title. The WBC is one of boxing's four major sanctioning bodies, and super-middleweight covers fighters up to 168lb. The bout is scheduled for Saturday, 31 October in Riyadh.
The assurance came after a sharp escalation in attacks on Saudi infrastructure. A missile strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, 10 October killed 13 people, according to the latest reporting on 11 October, Reuters reported. More than 300 people were wounded.
A second projectile struck a passenger terminal on Sunday, according to the Saudi-led military coalition. Saudi authorities also reported injuries in that 11 October attack, a day after the first strike. Air defences intercepted a missile near the airport, the coalition said. The airport remained closed on Sunday.
The United States government urged American citizens to avoid King Khalid International Airport and its surrounding area. Several international airlines suspended flights to Saudi Arabia amid the threat to civilian aviation.
India's embassy reported that one Indian citizen died from injuries sustained in the Saturday attack. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia including the strike on Riyadh airport.
The 31 October card is still listed as a major night for the division. The undercard is set to feature three world title fights, DAZN reported on 8 October.
For fans, this means uncertainty off the canvas rather than inside it. Mbilli holds the belt. Alvarez is attempting to take it. That sporting contest is unchanged, but travel, security and logistics around Riyadh will shape the build-up over the next three weeks.
