With fight week underway for Saturday's showdown between future Hall of Famer Saul "Canelo" Alvarez and WBC super middleweight champion Christian Mbilli, Saudi authorities reopened King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, in time for fighters, officials, media and fans scheduled to travel to the Saudi capital for the October 31st event. However, the airport had been closed to the public since October 10th, when a cruise missile launched by the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen struck a passenger terminal, killing at least 13 people and injuring more than 300. The Houthis have reportedly carried out at least three additional deadly strikes on the airport this month and have vowed to continue targeting the facility. The airport announced Saturday night that flights would resume Sunday, advising travelers to verify their flight and booking status before heading to the airport.

 

The security threat has not entirely subsided. On Sunday morning, Riyadh residents received emergency alerts warning of an incoming aerial threat, while some reported hearing loud explosions. Saudi authorities subsequently announced that they had intercepted a ballistic missile fired toward the capital by the Houthis.

 

The reopening of the airport is an encouraging development for those traveling to Riyadh for fight week, although the continuing attacks raise concerns about security surrounding the event.

 

Alvarez (63-3-2), a former four-division world champion, will be making his first appearance since losing the undisputed world super middleweight championship to Terence Crawford in September 2025. Crawford subsequently retired, vacating his titles, and Mbilli was elevated from interim to full WBC champion. Mbilli (32-0-1, including the World Series of Boxing) will be making his first defense of the WBC title. Both fighters have been inactive since September 2025.

 

The bout was originally scheduled for September 12th but was postponed because of personal matters that delayed Alvarez's training camp. DAZN plans to televise the fight on a pay-per-view basis.