Report Cites Passport Issue in Delgado's Riyadh Pullout

Lindolfo Delgado's withdrawal from his Saturday fight in Riyadh may have involved more than safety fears. A report on Tuesday cited a source who pointed to a problem with his passport.

Delgado was set to meet Arthur Biyarslanov in a 140-pound title fight on the undercard of Canelo Alvarez against Christian Mbilli. The bout is now off.

Boxing reporter Dan Rafael posted the claim on X. His source, who is involved in the Canelo-Mbilli event, said the passport had either expired or was about to expire. According to the post, Saudi authorities would not issue a visa for an expired passport or one with less than six months left.

Visa timeline

Rafael wrote that Delgado renewed the passport last week. The Saudis were then processing the visa, and it was due to be issued on Sunday. That was when Delgado opted out, per the post.

The reasons given publicly were different. On Monday, Delgado's trainer Robert Garcia appeared on ProBoxTV's "BoxingScene Today" and declared the fight off because of the risk from the conflict in the region, particularly for U.S. citizens.

Garcia questioned the plan. "Why would we risk ourselves going over there without being safe?" he said. He described a route of flying to Bahrain and then driving five to six hours. "It's looking for trouble," Garcia said.

He also spoke about the demands of the trip. "To get [accustomed to the travel] and cut weight for a world title fight, it's unbelievable, impossible, ridiculous," Garcia said.

Backdrop in Riyadh

Thirteen people were killed in bombings earlier this month at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.

Numerous sports events have been canceled or postponed amid unrest and fears of more violence. Whether the show should go on has divided the boxing industry.

Rafael's report does not make clear whether Delgado would have been cleared to travel in time for fight week. Garcia's remarks pointed to further complications that could have led to the withdrawal.

Source: BoxingScene