Martin Bakole will step in to face Joseph Parker this weekend in Saudi Arabia after Daniel Dubois pulled out due to illness. The fight card, already one of the best in years, will see this heavyweight clash alongside the undisputed light heavyweight title fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Parker, the former WBO champion, has been in camp for months and comes into the fight on great form. He's scored two big wins recently over Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder. The New Zealander is known as a smart fighter who can take a punch.
Bakole, a towering Congolese heavyweight, got the call just two days before the fight. He's been much avoided in recent years and claims to have valuable sparring experience.
"You're not going to stand in Martin Bakole's way. He wanted the fight. There was no hesitation. It was 100%, he told me, the team all told me 'go and get the f***ing fight made,'"said promoter Ben Shalom in an interview with Boxing Social.
Bakole has made some bold claims about his sparring sessions. He says he broke Dubois' nose twice and even knocked out Oleksandr Usyk behind closed doors. While these claims are unverified, they add intrigue to the matchup.
The late replacement presents a different challenge for Parker. He's had to quickly switch gears from preparing for Dubois to facing the relatively unknown Bakole. Parker's reaction to the change will be crucial as he looks to continue his winning streak.
This heavyweight clash joins an already stacked card in Saudi Arabia. Fight fans will also see Zhilei Zhang take on Agit Kabayel in another heavyweight bout. The main event features Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol fighting for undisputed light heavyweight honors.
With Bakole not having been in camp, and Parker preparing for months, the late change adds an element of unpredictability to the fight. It's a risky move for both men, but one that could lead to a thrilling contest for fans this Saturday night.
