Camille Estephan, Christian Mbilli’s promoter, has said his fighter will travel to Riyadh as planned despite the security situation that followed the recent missile attack on King Khalid airport.

“Christian will arrive in Saudi as planned. I’m very confident the fight goes ahead and Mbilli will keep his belt and dethrone Canelo, God willing,” Estephan told Sky Sports.

Canelo Alvarez, 36, is coming off elbow surgery and his first career loss on points, to Terence Crawford in September 2025. Mbilli, 31, is defending the WBC super-middleweight belt over 12 rounds on Saturday, October 31, at Kingdom Arena. It is Alvarez’s first fight as a challenger since 2021.

From Cameroon to Quebec

Mbilli was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, and now fights out of Quebec under the Eye of the Tiger promotional banner. He holds Cameroonian, French and Canadian citizenship.

Read also: Lando Norris reveals what he was praying for during United States Grand Prix

His professional record stands at 27-0, with every win coming by knockout. He turned pro in 2017 and held the WBC interim 168-pound belt before being elevated to full champion earlier this year.

How the belt changed hands

Mbilli was moved from interim to full WBC super-middleweight champion after Crawford was stripped. Yahoo Sports reported the reason as “non-payment of sanction fees.”

That is how Alvarez’s old 168-pound WBC title landed with Mbilli instead of staying available through a rematch clause for the former champion.

“He’s old now”

Mbilli has not hidden what he thinks of Alvarez’s current form.

Read also: Bayern head to Magdeburg without their coach and still waiting on Neuer

“I think Canelo is very old right now. He’s not the same Canelo from five to 10 years ago,” he told Sports Illustrated. “I don’t know if he can take my pressure and punches. I throw a lot of punches with a lot of energy.”

Alvarez pushed back when the comments reached him. “They say I’m old and this and that, but they’re going to see. I have nothing to prove to anybody,” he said, per Yahoo Sports.

The security backdrop

The card is being staged by Riyadh Season chairman Turki Alalshikh, who said on social media that Alvarez had personally told him the main event would go ahead regardless of the regional situation.

“Canelo reached out and told me he’ll still fight in Riyadh this October, no matter what happens. He fears nothing,” Alalshikh said, according to Sports Illustrated.

Read also: ‘I was still standing’: Pereira drags Herb Dean back into the Gane fight

The main event between Mbilli and Alvarez is still set for Saturday night at Kingdom Arena.

Read also: Jude Bellingham’s Real Madrid contract decision comes with surprise Premier League twist