JOSEPH PARKER HAS remained on course to fight for a heavyweight world title after stopping stand-in Martin Bakole in the second round of their Riyadh bout.
It was another successful night for the New Zealand boxer and his Irish trainer, Andy Lee, as Bakole’s dream of pulling off a stunning heavyweight victory on just two days’ notice were shattered.
The Congo fighter only received the call to replace IBF champion Daniel Dubois for the fight in the Saudi capital on Thursday.
He arrived in the early hours of Saturday morning and the lumbering heavyweight quickly discovered the perils of not having time to adequately prepare or train.
The 31-year-old was dropped in round two from a sharp right from Parker before the mismatch was stopped.
Dubois withdrew from facing Parker on Thursday through illness.
At that time, Bakole was in the Congo working to close a deal on a new home.
Once financial terms were agreed, he grabbed a flight to Ethiopia and then on to the Gulf.
“I want to thank the people of Saudi Arabia and my team. Martin Bakole, thank you very much for accepting the invitation and for giving me a good fight,” Parker told DAZN.
In the main event, Dmitry Bivol dethroned Artur Beterbiev as undisputed light-heavyweight champion in a thrilling contest.
Four months after their first classic encounter, 34-year-old Bivol won a majority points decision against his Russian compatriot, six years his senior.
It was Beterbiev’s first defeat in 22 pro fights but Bivol was a worthy winner after two judges gave him the decision by 116-112 and 115-113 with the third seeing it as a 114-114 draw.
“I didn’t have as much pressure like last time. I just wanted to work from the first round until the end of the 12th. I did enough,” said Bivol who never looked back after dominating the early rounds.
“I was better, I was pushing myself more, I was more confident, I was lighter, I was just wanted to win so much today.
“I just told myself he could start from the beginning to destroy me and disturb me, it was hard to keep him distanced over the first four rounds. I was tired but he was tired also.”
Will the fight against Dubois be rescheduled.
As long as Bivol stayed on his feet he was getting that result so that Eddie and the Saudies could bring us the trilogy fight.
@Jp Cleary: in fairness he boxed the right fight using his jab and combinations to keep Artur at distance. Bivol speed and countering were excellent in the latter half of the fight and the cross was given Artur all sorts of problems. It was close 115-113 was fair. Artur had the better early and late rounds with his pressure and shot selection, but Bivol adapted, a trilogy is a must, two close fights. I know Parker is trained by Andy Lee but Christ, give these two light heavyweights greats the headline. They’ll go down as legends. I would love to see the trilogy in vegas but that unfortunately wont happen with the Saudi money.
@John Clifford: how much did bakole get for the two rounds it was a total mismatch he didn’t look like the first cousin of a boxer?
John Clifford.. completely agree wrong fight getting the headlines here .. beterbiev-bivol super fight real skill between two elite fighters.. beterbiev is very unusual at forty to be able to compete with a man who dismantled canello.. bivol will win fight three I’d say, age has to be on his side a bit plus supreme skills
Fairplay him taking bokole out nowhere always was going be dangerous he can put feet up in morecambe againg Tyson hughie and all the boys.
@Paully kells: what you say Paully???