Canelo Álvarez wins back world title as Houthi attacks cast shadow over Riyadh

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According to Guardian Sport, Mexico’s Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez reclaimed the WBC super-middleweight title with a unanimous-decision victory over the previously unbeaten Christian Mbilli in Riyadh on Saturday night. The fight went ahead at Kingdom Arena despite a week of heightened security concerns in the Saudi capital, where the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting missiles and drones launched by Iran-aligned Houthi forces, leading to the cancellation of several other events such as the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition. The 36-year-old Álvarez relied on his counter-punching and precise body shots to secure scores of 115-112, 116-111, and 117-110 from the judges. The contest followed a tense period in Riyadh that included a recent missile strike on King Khalid International Airport. Turki al-Sheikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, stated earlier that Álvarez had assured him he would fight regardless of the security situation. In his post-fight remarks, Álvarez briefly thanked his family, who watched from afar due to certain circumstances.