RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA -- There's nothing quite like the night before a big fight, or in this case, a supercharged bill stacked with world championship bouts galore and stakes aplenty.

As I type this, I'm fielding glaring looks from Dmitry Bivol's team. They seem offended that I'm potentially sitting among them, but as long as you don't engage in eye contact, you'll be fine. They don't own the space and I'm harmless, really.

While the countless rows of black plastic seats quickly fill, over an hour before the weigh-in, many show images of last-minute heavyweight stand-in Martin Bakole boarding one of his two flights from DR Congo's capital city Kinshasa as skepticism persists about whether he'll make the weigh-in and give everyone a glimpse of just how big he is, out of camp. (He doesn't).

Instead the 33-year-old (22-1, 16 KOs) is seen a few hours after the dust settles and everyone has dispersed, weighing in at an unofficial 315-pounds, comfortably the biggest he's tipped the scales. Parker, who fell short in a thrilling 11-round battle against Joe Joyce at his career-heaviest 255.25lbs in September 2022, also logged a new career-high weight at 267.

It's probably best, both for the aura of mystique and to further build this storyline - less than 24 hours before their co-main event - that Bakole isn't physically here. His face adorns many of the digital boards promoting their upcoming WBO interim world title fight, while many are audibly bemoaning the lack of heavyweight influence in Daniel Dubois' illness-enforced absence.

More seats fill. 45 minutes until the weigh-in begins, if Thursday had a frantic feel, this is far more impatient idling around. Friday night and it's already been a long week, all you can hope for is no more twists and turns as many dignitaries, recognisable faces and fans all filter into Riyadh across the world on the eve of the sport's biggest-ever bill.

Security are on edge, aware of a sharp increase in numbers but perhaps lacking the conviction - or the multilingual capabilities - to converse with people for whom English isn't their first or even second language. "Have you got passes? You need one, otherwise you'll need to go. We've been told by His Excellency's team," one bravely confronts a section of Bivol's team and they stare blankly back.

Tension builds as more security are radioed over for support and as increasing attention is firmly on them, eventually a peaceful resolution arrives. The same sequence repeats itself shortly afterwards as Artur Beterbiev's support team replicate the same overenthusiastic approach, while you can hear one rights holder brief an interview on what not to ask Frank Warren: no Dubois questions please.

Warren arrives, warmly shakes some hands and looks far more calm than yesterday. What's done is done, the show must go on, as Joe Gallagher with WBC title in hand gets mistaken for an intruder.

The background music soon begins, Hotel California blares out from the speakers and guess who? Derek Chisora, 11 days removed from his penultimate fight, wades through the crowd at his own leisure as phones raise to capture the moment.

Further left, security bemoan there being too many people in one area as Terence Crawford and Anthony Yarde get set in their makeshift punditry positions up above. It's obvious this isn't going to start on time as calculations start: are there enough chairs and space to deal with an uptick in VIP numbers?

Joshua Buatsi's dad and Vergil Ortiz Sr are among those made to wait, as you can see Eddie Hearn and Warren chatting amongst themselves, biding their time. Almost positioned in the middle of a bubbling circus, I can barely hear the weights or take video as people are constantly shuffling around me, some sprinting in small spaces and others recklessly trying to get the best shot possible.

Hamzah Sheeraz's manager Adil Ditta launches half-a-dozen gloves into the crowd as Carlos Adames' support team - two Hispanic women in particular - can be heard screaming upon the 30-year-old's arrival, attracting the typical attention that comes with sticking out like a sore thumb. One can only wonder how they'll be reacting once the first bell goes in their WBC world middleweight contest.

The only potential flashpoint sees a very energetic Shakur Stevenson, sporting shades, engage in some jawing and a nice back-and-forth with short-notice opponent Josh Padley. They're separated after a while, the visual makes for good fun, both are on weight with no issues.

The Kiwi trilling is back again as Parker accounts for Bakole's absence by having a jokey faceoff with Warren, who pushes him away and they laugh. Bivol's manager Vadim Kornilov is around and greets every member of his charge's support team, one-by-one, before they swarm the front rows as security look bemused and rather overwhelmed.

Is it wise to sit them and Beterbiev's team so close to one another? The scene is carnage, many are shouting and frantically using hand signals failing to get them seated, rather than blocking others behind from capturing the main event weigh-ins and face-off. Predictably that urgency falls on deaf ears though thankfully the end is near and now, just one more sleep to go.