While the Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. Christian Mbilli WBC super middleweight title fight remains set for Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, it will likely proceed without its full undercard.
Lindolfo Delgado and Artur Biyarslanov were scheduled to fight for the IBF super lightweight championship on the DAZN pay-per-view show, but their bout is now expected to be canceled.
Biyarslanov arrived in Riyadh this past week alongside Mbilli, but Delgado has yet to make the trip and is understood to be against doing so.
Robert Garcia, Delgado’s trainer who previously voiced fears over the event’s safety, reiterated over the weekend, while cornering Albert "Chop Chop" Gonzalez on the Foster vs. Navarette undercard, that neither he nor anyone on Delgado's team had received any information about their travel to the kingdom.
There are significant safety concerns surrounding Saudi Arabia as the region continues to experience numerous attacks by the militant organization Ansar Allah, otherwise known as the Houthis. The U.S. government has advised against all non-essential travel to the kingdom and ordered non-emergency government employees to leave the country.
Boxers traveling to Saudi Arabia did not fly directly to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Instead, they flew to an alternative airport and made the five-hour commute to Riyadh.
Efforts are underway to keep Biyarslanov on the card against a replacement opponent, though the short notice and travel complications will make that difficult.
Amid concerns from DAZN employees over the safety of the event, the broadcaster has decided to split its talent between on-site in Riyadh and others at an off-site location, a source close to the situation told Uncrowned.