Daniel Dubois missed out on a world title defence when illness prevented him from boxing Joseph Parker, with promoter Frank Warren now looking at alternative fights.
Parker instead will face Martin Bakole on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Dubois himself will not remain in Riyadh and will soon travel home.
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"Obviously very despondent, he's very disappointed. [His illness] actually wasn't that good today, he was worse. We'll get him on a plane, we'll try to get him home. [He's] very disappointed," his promoter Frank Warren told Sky Sports on Friday.
"People don't understand in boxing, the boxer pays for his camp, sparring partners… It's very expensive.
"The last fight, he had a bit of tonsilitis last time. I don't know what it is.
"The most important thing is he can't fight. We didn't pull him out - we weren't happy about him fighting - the Board of Control doctor said you can't fight."
Robert Smith, general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control told Sky Sports: "He was sick. I've got a medical report. The kid was sick. He can't box. The doctor said he couldn't box. Can't box. End of story."
Warren reflected: "It is a disappointment. It's boxing. I look and think how did it affect Derek Chisora when [Wladimir] Klitschko pulled out [days] before.
"We've been in this situation before."
Dubois remains the IBF heavyweight world champion and in fact has as many, if not more, options as he had before.
Expected now to box in the next three months, he could go straight into a rematch with unified WBO, WBC and WBA champion Oleksandr Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight world title.
But Anthony Joshua could also be in contention for a shot at Dubois, who knocked him out to defend the IBF belt in September.
"I feel the perverse thing out of it is we've got more of an option now," Warren added.
"I'd like to see the rematch with Usyk. That's an option, if it can be done I'd love that.
"But then we've got Joe Parker, we've got AJ, who's got over his injury and he may want to do it now with the fact he's been ill, who knows?"
Usyk and Joshua will both be in attendance at Saturday's fight, an opportunity for talks to commence.
"We'll have a look and see. They're all here. No doubt we'll look and have a chat," Warren said.
"That's all we do. This is a gathering of the clans. Sit down and have a chat and see what's going on."
'AJ would love another crack'
Promoter Eddie Hearn previously told Sky Sports that he believed Joshua, who was formerly a holder of the IBF belt, would be able to go straight into a fight with Dubois for that title, saying: "That's what AJ wants. He wants to fight for the world heavyweight title. So that's the number one priority.
"At this stage he's about trying to become a three-time world heavyweight champion. He missed out on that opportunity last time and he'd love another crack."
The Artur Beterbiev v Dmitry Bivol rematch will be live on Saturday February 22 on Sky Sports Box Office. Book now!
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