Delgado out of Riyadh IBF title fight over missile alerts; Canelo-Mbilli still on

The main event is going ahead, but the undercard is already losing pieces. Lindolfo Delgado is out of his vacant IBF 140-pound title fight with Arthur Biyarslanov, and his trainer Robert Garcia has now said why: missile alerts in Saudi Arabia and a travel plan he called impossible.

Garcia told BoxingScene that an attorney already in the country said they get at least two missile alerts on their phones every day. He said flights had not been provided by Friday or Saturday, so a Sunday-night departure would put Delgado in Riyadh on Tuesday for a Saturday world title fight, with two days to adjust to the time change and cut weight. Dan Rafael wrote on X that the decision was Delgado's and his team's, not because the promotion refused to book travel.

Biyarslanov's coach, Samuel Décarie-Drolet, told The Canadian Press that Biyarslanov, his camp and every other fighter on the card reached Riyadh safely, and that promoters are looking for a new opponent. The IBF has not commented. Delgado, 24-0 according to Top Rank, was meant to fight for the belt Richardson Hitchins vacated. Biyarslanov is 31 and from Canada.

The threat behind the withdrawal is real. Saudi Civil Defense issued shelter alerts for Riyadh on Oct. 25, and on Oct. 26 the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile fired toward Riyadh. The Houthis claimed another attack on King Khalid International Airport, which Saudi authorities had not confirmed when Reuters reported it. The airport reopened only on Oct. 25 after an earlier deadly attack.

The headline fight is unchanged. Canelo, 36, landed in Riyadh alongside Oleksandr Usyk, and Riyadh Season chief Turki Alalshikh says the bout will go on. Mbilli, 29-0-1 according to CroRing, makes the first defence of his WBC super middleweight title. Both men are fighting for the first time since the Canelo-Terence Crawford card in September 2025, where Canelo lost a unanimous decision and Mbilli drew with Lester Martinez. Canelo has not stopped an opponent since Caleb Plant in 2021.

Watch for a decision on whether Biyarslanov gets a new opponent or the bout is scrapped, and for any change to the Oct. 31 date as the security situation develops.