Martin Bakole replaced Daniel Dubois suddenly, but Joseph Parker dispatched him in two rounds before the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol rematch for undisputed light-heavyweight title;
Joseph Parker took just two rounds to knock out Martin Bakole, a top-tier heavyweight who came in at the shortest possible notice to replace Daniel Dubois, at the ANB Arena in Riyadh.
Bakole was attempting a feat that was surely without precedent in the sport. When Daniel Dubois, the IBF world champion, fell ill just two days before he was due to fight Parker, Bakole decided to replace him.
Travelling from Kinshasa in the DR Congo, Bakole landed in Riyadh in the early hours of Saturday morning to take on Parker, another world-ranked heavyweight, later that night for the latter’s WBO Interim title.
Parker jabbed diligently at the 310lb behemoth. But Bakole cuffed him with a hard right just before the end of the first round.
The two tapped gloves respectfully and then Bakole allowed himself a brief moment of celebration. He liked his start.
Fighting in gloves borrowed from Dubois, Bakole marched after Parker in the second round.
Bakole demonstrably shook off the New Zealander’s cross and came for him.
But Parker then bowled over his right. It clipped Bakole high on the head. That robbed him of his balance, his legs shivered out from under him and Bakole toppled over.
Bakole used the ropes to heave himself upright, but the referee would not let him continue, ruling him out at 2:17 of the second round.
“Martin Bakole, thank you for accepting the challenge of flying all the way here on short notice and giving me a good fight,” Parker said afterwards.
“I stayed calm, structured, composed and got the victory.
“I’m fit, strong, healthy and sharp. Andy Lee broke it down for me, I had to be patient.”
The WBO Interim belt means he should be the mandatory challenger for their world title, held by unified champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“How can I fight for the world title next?” he declared. “If Usyk wants a dance partner. I want to fight for a world title, I want to be champion of the world again.”
