Biyarslanov’s title fight in jeopardy as Delgado fails to arrive in Riyadh

Toronto’s Arthur Biyarslanov is in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, training for Saturday’s match for the vacant IBF junior welterweight title.

He’s still waiting to hear who he’ll face.

Biyarslanov’s coach Samuel Décarie-Drolet confirmed to The Canadian Press on Monday that Mexico’s Lindolfo Delgado, the Canadian’s original opponent, has yet to arrive in Saudi Arabia.

“It’s sad because, you know, everybody’s here. We’re all here,” said Décarie-Drolet in a call from Riyadh. “We all did the same thing. We had training camp, made sacrifices. Everybody’s here, and they decide not to go, and it’s a bit of a sour taste.

“But at the same time, when it’s a security question, and people don’t feel safe, you can understand that.”

The federal government currently advises Canadians to avoid non-essential travel to Saudi Arabia due to ongoing conflict in the region. Iran has been attacking Saudi Arabia from the northeast while Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the southern part of the peninsula wage war along the border with Yemen.

“At the moment, we hope (the Delgado camp) will change their mind and come,” Décarie-Drolet. “We’re working on Plan B, on Plan C, on different options for what we can do to make it better.”

The Biyarslanov-Delgado fight was part of the undercard for Christian Mbilli’s first defence of his WBC super middleweight title against Canelo Alvarez.

The card has a Mexico vs. the World theme with Mbilli — who holds French, Canadian, and Cameroonian citizenship — looking to cement his legacy as one of the best boxers of his generation.

It was also meant to be a huge opportunity for Biyarslanov.

“It’s hard because all the sacrifices were made,” said Décarie-Drolet. “At the moment, you look at him, and he’s sharp, ready. He wants that fight, and he’s been working his entire life to get a title shot.

“It was his moment. It was the time when he could finally fight for that belt, and now it seems like it’s not going to happen.”

Biyarslanov was born in Makhachkala, Russia. His family fled Chechnya when he was four and eventually settled in Toronto when he was 10. He took up boxing two years later.

As an amateur, he won gold for Canada at the 2015 Pan American Games and competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Biyarslanov has a 21-0-0 record as a professional with 17 knockouts.

Décarie-Drolet said the title match in Riyadh was important to raise Biyarslanov’s international profile.

“He’s not super well known around the world, and no one wants to face him because he’s not super well known,” said Décarie-Drolet. “He’s a southpaw, he’s a hard puncher, he’s got a good amateur background. To get to this level, to a fight like this, it’s super hard because you’re not picked by anyone.

“You need to work your way all the way to the top, and this is what we did with Arthur.”

Biyarslanov is a devout Muslim, and Décarie-Drolet said that his faith is helping him stay focused, even as Saturday’s match hangs in the balance.

“They always say ‘Alhamdulillah,’ it’s like ‘God willing,’ like ‘what God wishes,'” said Décarie-Drolet. “If it’s God’s plan, then that keeps him on track. He says, ‘Maybe they get me another opponent.’

“Then maybe I will fight in January, February with Delgado or something like that.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press