IN a simply astonishing turn of events, Joseph Parker will now put his WBO interim heavyweight title on the line against late-notice opponent Martin Bakole this Saturday.
The New Zealander was supposed to lock horns with Daniel Dubois in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, until the IBF heavyweight titlist was forced to withdraw due to illness.
As it happens, Parker, 35-3 (23 KOs), was set to be stripped of his WBO interim strap – which he claimed after outpointing Zhilei Zhang last year – at the sound of the opening bell.
But with the IBF world title no longer up for grabs, he will instead face Bakole, 21-1 (16 KOs), for a chance to become the mandatory challenger for Oleksandr Usyk.
With Bakole currently placed at number two in the WBO rankings, the sanctioning body’s president, Gustavo Olivieri, confirmed his decision on social media last night.
Following Dubois’ withdrawal yesterday, several names, including Laurence Okolie and David Adeleye, were mooted as potential opponents for Parker.
And yet, in what was a rapid turnaround, Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom managed to shoehorn heavyweight bogeyman Bakole into the mix.
The 33-year-old comes off a stunning fifth-round finish over Jared Anderson, overpowering the highly touted prospect in a vastly one-sided contest last August.
Bakole then found himself gearing up for an IBF final eliminator against Efe Ajagba, with their intriguing showdown being slated for May.
But now, after enjoying a period of relaxation in the Democratic Republic Of The Congo, the ferocious puncher has flown from his homeland to the Middle East in a bid to topple one of the division’s most in-form contenders on just three days’ notice.
