RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA -- When Joseph Parker's longtime manager David Higgins makes a rare public appearance, shuffled off to the side as the undercard press conference unfolds, you can sense something is awry.

It was all going too swimmingly.

Big fight weeks often aren't complete without some last-minute drama so if British fighter-and-electrician Josh Padley's manic 24-hour story wasn't enough to whet the appetite before Saturday's stacked Last Crescendo card, well how about a brand new co-main event less than 48 hours before the bill begins?

The Ring have confirmed Joseph Parker's interim WBO heavyweight title is now on the line when he faces late-replacement Martin Bakole in Saturday's DAZN pay-per-view co-feature, live from Riyadh's ANB Arena.

Originally set to face Daniel Dubois, news of the IBF heavyweight champion's illness was reported Thursday evening and two hours after the announcement, The Ring's No. 6-ranked heavyweight contender is stepping into the fold.

Parker's support team, who've made themselves heard by consistently trilling with excitement from Monday onwards for their man, were noticeably more muted as the Kiwi's trainer Andy Lee banded them together in a huddle, clearly still processing the day's events unfolding behind-the-scenes.

Listening intently and absorbing instructions, their faces were a distinct contrast to that of his promoter and Queensberry chief Frank Warren, who has also steered Dubois' pro career since day one, through trials and tribulations.

He looked understandably agitated and constantly fielded phone calls, before and after the night's three separate press events took place as an uncomfortable hubbub consumed this portion of BLVD City with more starting to take notice that one of the main attractions was suddenly off the card altogether.

Rights holders, broadcasters, fighter teams were all mumbling, some unsettled and others excited about being in the midst of a rather sudden eleventh-hour drama episode with another twist two hours away from confirmation.

America's unbeaten lightweight contender Floyd Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) was the card's biggest pre-fight underdog, +1100 in some markets via Oddschecker at the start of fight week.

So while the alternative is a relatively unheralded, plucky present for Shakur Stevenson's Saudi showcase, this was markedly different. As Dev Sahni introduced the 29-year-old Yorkshireman and his unique short-notice storyline, you could hear some sarcastic owl "whoooo!" sounds.

Spencer Brown, advisor/manager to many, arrived on stage 15 minutes late and that came as no coincidence given what he would've been juggling, two days before Parker's biggest fight since losing the WBO world title against Anthony Joshua as 78,000 watched from Cardiff's Principality Stadium in 2018.

Anyway, the tension briefly eased after another exchange between two non-native English speakers: Germany's Agit Kabayel and New Jersey-based Chinese giant southpaw Zhilei Zhang, both garnering giggles after saying they were going to bang one another.

It'll be no laughing matter between the heavyweights as they duel for WBC interim gold, Kabayel's confidence masked by playing the game while Zhang - lovable he may be - faces an unbeaten contender nine years his junior.

The ever-stoic Israil Madrimov couldn't help smiling as one very loud section within the seated area chanted his name, the Uzbekistan national's stock higher than most but needing a return to winning ways after exceeding expectations and taking Terence Crawford the 12-round distance last August.

Oscar de la Hoya put his fighter hat on to apologise across the table at Stevenson and Eddie Hearn for the well-documented Schofield situation, resisting the urge to celebrate Arnold Barboza Jr's big win over Jack Catterall in Manchester last weekend.

Vergil Ortiz Jr, who has flirted with a middleweight move, can make it a delightful double and himself banish any lingering doubts after Serhii Bohachuk twice dropped him in their 2024 Fight of the Year contender.

Bernard Hopkins and Lennox Lewis strolled in late too, the latter later helping WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán unveil a shiny and beautifully-designed Jose Sulaimán Trophy, named after the late, great WBC president.

British heavyweight champion Fabio Wardley (18-0-1, 17 KOs) had time to tweet-and-delete upon hearing of Dubois' illness, teasing itchy fans keenly awaiting fight news for the Ipswich man after successful outings on two Riyadh Season shows.

Hearn and Warren gave one another a look, shaking their heads as the undercard face-offs had finished and the table dispersed. Was this really happening? The latter, not long afterwards, was back on his phone again.

You then had the awkward visual of Sulaimán addressing the crowd of assembled media and fans with a WBC Grand Prix Tournament backdrop behind him, though barely anyone was paying attention.

Instead, around a hundred or so were crowding around, security and aggressive cameras among them, desperately trying to catch a glimpse or maybe more of whatever they could see in a cordoned off area.

Some minutes pass, Hamzah Sheeraz and Stevenson depart and you can see they were playing the new Fatal Fury: City of The Wolves game against one another. Kabayel and Zhang engage in the same later, to predictable fanfare.

Scheduled for an April 24 release with three days' early access on offer, it felt apt at a time like this to showcase why combat enthusiasts should immerse themselves in a street-fighter-style game that can be played across PlayStation, Steam and Xbox platforms.

Whether he stuck out like a sore thumb or not, Parker was jovial as ever and danced along to background music as the Beterbiev-Bivol portion of Thursday's presser got organised.

"If he's ill, I hope he gets better soon. I'm looking forward to putting on a great show... put all the hard work in Ireland with my team, come on Saturday," Parker said on stage, naturally assured he would still feature as part of the bill anyway.

"Lot of discussions, like Frank says, Daniel's being assessed by the doctor right now, trying to find out whether it's good or bad news but whatever it's gonna be, Joe will be there and it'll be a fight... he's ready to go and win," Brown insisted.

Artur Beterbiev looked like he couldn't wait for Hearn to stop talking as the 45-year-old went on the charm offensive, silencing him with cold honesty: "You give me opponents and I beat them, we do good business."

Hearn, whose fighters are a combined 0-3 against the undisputed light-heavyweight champion heading into this weekend, could only chuckle in response.

"Turki Alalshikh has just called me, we've got to go," Brown told picture-hunting fans and Sky as he whisked away Warren, just as the news filtered through: Bakole replacing Dubois on less than two days' notice.

Ben Shalom, his promoter, told Sky half-an-hour prior: "My heart goes out to Daniel, don't know how he is but [Martin is] the best option for Parker, he doesn't duck anyone and now it's over to Joseph. Will he take it on two days' notice? We're still two-and-a-half months away [from the Efe Ajagba fight] so he just started camp, but we think he can beat anyone, let's see.

Flights checked, team's ready to go, manager, trainer and the fighter, we're even willing to be reasonable [about financial purse], that's how confident we are about this fight."

Bakole's trainer Billy Nelson had earlier said on social media Martin's bags were packed and ready to go, knowing he wouldn't have been the only option.

Joe Gallagher, who trains two-division world champion Lawrence Okolie (21-1, 16 KOs), told The Ring he'd have no issue giving the go-ahead for his charge to step in on two days' notice. It wasn't to be. Parker's reaction shows he relishes a tricky assignment anyway, against the consensus most-avoided heavyweight.

An hour after the dust settled, an email lands about GBM Sports' new signing Hughie Fury (29-3, 16 KOs) ready to "settle the score" with Parker, seven-and-a-half years after a forgettable first fight. Bakole might not be in tremendous fight shape, we'll see how he looks at tomorrow's weigh-in, but the buzz he's already rightfully generated reinforces the belief the best option was chosen.