JOSEPH PARKER dismantled late stand-in Martin Bakole inside two rounds to keep his world title dream alive.
Parker had been expecting to face Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title at the Venue but an illness ruled the champion out late on Thursday.
Bakole was in his native DR Congo when the news broke but jumped at the chance to step in at late notice to face Parker.
He flew from Congo to Ethiopia and then to Saudi, where he got in so late that he missed the official weigh-in.
Even so, some had tipped the man dubbed the most avoided heavyweight in the division to spring a surprise against the New Zealander in their non-title clash.
But Parker, who lost his WBO heavyweight belt to Anthony Joshua in 2018, remains in the hunt for another crack at a belt following this one-punch knockout of Bakole.
It had been a tentative first round for both men, although Bakole had landed a right uppercut and a straight right hand while Parker probed with his jab.
But they both started to throw more caution to the wind in the second and with 56 seconds remaining in the round, a slashing right hand clipped Bakole high on the head.
He stood up, then wobbled, then all 310lbs of him crashed to the canvas. He was deemed unable to continue with referee Steve Gray waving it off at an official time of 2:17 of the second.
Parker said: “Martin Bakole, thank you very much for accepting the challenge to fly here on short notice and fight me.
“We came in there and stayed patient. When I came back to the corner, Andy [Lee] gave me instructions to be patient and catch him on the way in and that’s what I did.
“Now I want to ask who is next? Who can I fight next for the world title? I want to be champion of the world again soon. I will fight anyone and everyone.”
