Martin Bakole stepped into the ring against Joseph Parker on just two days' notice, traveling 4,000 miles from Congo to do so. The heavyweight bout ended quickly, with Parker stopping Bakole in the second round.
Bakole got the call to fight when Daniel Dubois fell ill during fight week. He arrived at 2AM on fight day and even had to use Dubois' gloves for the match. Despite the short notice and lack of preparation, Bakole took on the challenge.
Parker, who had the advantage of a full training camp, landed a devastating overhand right in the second round. The punch sent Bakole to the canvas, and he struggled to recover. His trainer, Billy Nelson, threw in the towel, ending the fight.
After the bout, Bakole shared his thoughts with reporters:
"I think everyone knows what happened. To be honest, I did not see the punch today. This is boxing, anything can happen. I'm sitting with my coach asking why he did no give me a second chance. He said no, watch the video."
He added:
"For me I was thinking maybe I was going to recover and come back again like Joseph Parker did to big Zhang, but thank God I have a coach beside me saying no … It is what it is. He caught me on top. I never get punched here and it just feels like, 'wow, what the hell.'"
Despite the loss, Bakole doesn't regret taking the fight. He explained his decision:
"For me, I've not lost the fight. because I've done something like nobody ever has in boxing. It was not only to help Joe. Let me tell you, three times I get calls from Saudi and I was not ready and I always said no. This one, His Excellency wanted to save the show … I said why not help him. I took a big risk. I was not prepared for it."
Fans praised Bakole for stepping in at such short notice to save the event. His bravery didn't go unnoticed, and he's already got his next fight lined up. Turki Alalshikh confirmed Bakole will return to the ring in May, potentially facing Efe Ajagbe in an IBF final eliminator.
As for Parker, this win puts him in a strong position. He's now beaten three of the division's hardest punchers in a row, making a strong case for a world title shot in the near future.
You can watch Bakole's full post-fight interview for more details on his experience.
