Canelo Alvarez will go ahead with his world title bid against Christian Mbilli after arriving into Riyadh on Sunday. However, Lindolfo Delgado vs Arthur Biyarslanov is in major doubt.
Alvarez touched down in Saudi Arabia after leaving his training base in Spain where he had been preparing alongside Oleksandr Usyk.
Canelo Alvarez’s bid in Riyadh to become WBC world super middleweight champion again has been thrown into doubt over recent weeks.
Indeed, King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has only just reopened following missile attacks from Houthis. The attacks have reportedly killed at least 21 people.
Flights remain limited and the United States has advised people to “reconsider travel” to Saudi Arabia.
Canelo Alvarez wanted Riyadh fight
Despite the threats, Saudi Arabian boxing chief Turki Alalshikh confirmed earlier this month that Canelo Alvarez still intended to fight Mbilli in Riyadh.
The four-division world champion is on the third fight of a four-bout agreement with Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season.
“Canelo reached out and told me he’ll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens. He fears nothing,” he posted on X.
Delgado vs Biyarslanov unlikely to go ahead
However, not every fighter has followed Canelo Alvarez to Riyadh. Lindolfo Delgado, who was due to face Arthur Biyarslanov for the vacant IBF super lightweight world title, has not travelled to Riyadh.
According to journalist Dan Rafael, the bout is unlikely to go ahead.
Despite the uncertainty, Biyarslanov has reportedly arrived in Riyadh, according to Boxing Scene.
In Riyadh, Canelo Alvarez will fight for the first time since last September. The Mexican great lost for the third time in his 68-fight professional career on points to Terence Crawford, who secured the undisputed super middleweight crown.
It is also the Mexican’s first fight in Riyadh since he outpointed William Scull to regain the undisputed championship in May 2025.
Crawford retired later that year and the WBC subsequently upgraded Mbilli from interim to full WBC world champion.
View this post on Instagram
“I love to be here in Riyadh,” Alvarez said upon arrival into Riyadh. “I’m excited to fight on Saturday.”
Like Canelo Alvarez, Mbilli has not fought since his draw with Lester Martinez on the Canelo vs Crawford undercard
The Frenchman arrived earlier than Canelo. Meanwhile, several of the undercard fighters are also in Riyadh including Jaime Munguia and Rafael Espinoza, who compete in separate world title bouts.
