Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole | PPV - 22 February 2025

[Ricky]

Interesting fight, could look like Parker vs Zhang... maybe Parker getting hurt once or twice but winning every round otherwise.

I like Bakole, glad he got a bigger fight, but certainly could've done with more notice.

[Controversial]

All sounds a bit of a sh!t show, presumably Bakole won’t have been tested as a late replacement and hasn’t been in any serious training. Can’t blame him for taking it though, a big payday and if he loses he has a load of excuses to reel out.

[leelee88]

apparently Bakole is only getting 475k compared to Parkers 1.58m

[Jimmy2025]

apparently Bakole is only getting 475k compared to Parkers 1.58m

I bet that's still 10x his biggest payday if not more.

[mickey1975]

apparently Bakole is only getting 475k compared to Parkers 1.58m

I bet that's still 10x his biggest payday if not more.

It's not true. Everyone said its way off. Most are saying 3m.

[Frostieballs]

Be surprised if not more like £2m Parker, £750k Bakole.

[Jimmy2025]

apparently Bakole is only getting 475k compared to Parkers 1.58m

I bet that's still 10x his biggest payday if not more.

It's not true. Everyone said its way off. Most are saying 3m.

We'll never know. The Saudis are rich but they aren't stupid.

[Riddick Bowie]

267 is a silly weight for Parker, must subconsciously have expected to lose to Dubois. I bet a jetlagged Bakole batters him.

[Jimmy2025]

267 is a silly weight for Parker, must subconsciously have expected to lose to Dubois. I bet a jetlagged Bakole batters him.

He doesn't look fat, so if the weight is accurate and not a misread, questions will be asked about how he's packed on 20lbs of good size in six months.

[joshj909]

Let's see how his footwork, stamina, power and chin are effected by his higher weight. I personally don't see it helping him but if it gives him more power and allows him to take bigger shots without having a huge impact on his stamina and footwork, then it's a good decision.

[margaret thatcher]

parker is a dr uzzy client

[Coco]

parker is a dr uzzy client

Having a bit of an Indian summer too

And has now bulked up....

[joshj909]

parker is a dr uzzy client

Is there a list of all of his clients? I'd be interested to see the changes for them when they each signed up.

[Jimmy2025]

Could a bent doctor give a fighter bogus TUEs and load him up with all sorts? If so you would still pass tests.

[golden_labrador]

I still don't understand why they don't just take regular hair clippings too. can't the traces of drugs be found in hair longer than blood and urine?

[cormack]

Bakole would have to be the most naturally gifted boxer in recent history to win this at such short notice + the flights / dehydration and timezone thing as well as having not been in a proper camp .

Parker having been in camp for DD should be able to take him to deep water and tire him out and maybe get the KO or even make him quit on the stool .

[JxhDel.]

Bakole as a replacement makes this even more interesting, despite the last-second drama

[KiwiRider]

I still don't understand why they don't just take regular hair clippings too. can't the traces of drugs be found in hair longer than blood and urine?

Yes. It can go back the entire growth of the hair, years depending on length.

[Jimmy2025]

I still don't understand why they don't just take regular hair clippings too. can't the traces of drugs be found in hair longer than blood and urine?

Yes. It can go back the entire growth of the hair, years depending on length.

They can but I think top level cheats nowadays are using dodgy doctors who are giving bogus TUEs. I'm not accusing anybody specifically or only focusing on boxing. If anything, I reckon boxers are late to this.

[golden_labrador]

I still don't understand why they don't just take regular hair clippings too. can't the traces of drugs be found in hair longer than blood and urine?

Yes. It can go back the entire growth of the hair, years depending on length.

hence so many of them shaving their head regularly?

[KiwiRider]

I still don't understand why they don't just take regular hair clippings too. can't the traces of drugs be found in hair longer than blood and urine?

Yes. It can go back the entire growth of the hair, years depending on length.

hence so many of them shaving their head regularly?

Was it Whyte that was asked to do a hair sample or Mayweather?
And then they shaved their head?

[golden_labrador]

Yes. It can go back the entire growth of the hair, years depending on length.

hence so many of them shaving their head regularly?

Was it Whyte that was asked to do a hair sample or Mayweather?
And then they shaved their head?

[joshj909]

Yes. It can go back the entire growth of the hair, years depending on length.

hence so many of them shaving their head regularly?

Was it Whyte that was asked to do a hair sample or Mayweather?
And then they shaved their head?

Whyte grew his hair out for the hair sample

[MightyWarrior]

parker is a dr uzzy client

Oh FFS…wonder what Frank thought about that when DDD was in….

No sign of Bakole yet I guess? His odds just got longer with this news

[Ruthless-RKO]

How did Martin Bakole get to fight Joseph Parker after Daniel Dubois' withdrawal and how dangerous can he be?

Martin Bakole was drafted in as a late replacement to face Joseph Parker as part of a Saturday's blockbuster night of boxing, after Daniel Dubois withdrew through illness; watch the Riyadh Season event on Sky Sports Box Office from 4pm on Saturday February 22

Daniel Dubois' planned IBF heavyweight showdown against Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia on Saturday is off, but what caused it to be cancelled and how did Martin Bakole get the late call up?

Only in heavyweight boxing could a fighter be summoned from the Democratic Republic of Congo at two days' notice to compete in a title bout on the biggest card in the world. But all that happened, at dizzying speed, on Thursday night.

Daniel Dubois was meant to be addressing a press conference in Riyadh for an IBF heavyweight world championship defence against Joseph Parker. But Dubois didn't attend.

It emerged that he had fallen ill. While Dubois was being medically evaluated, alternative opponents for Parker were mobilising.

Lawrence Okolie, the former cruiserweight champion who is a new addition to the heavyweight division, was willing to take the fight. Dillian Whyte's manager, Michael Ofo told Sky Sports: "All they got to do is pick up the phone, Dillian's known for fighting anyone, anytime, any moment."

Joe Joyce, who is due to box on March 1 anyway and has previously beaten Parker, was willing to step in too. "For the right money, yes," he told Sky Sports, "of course."

But Bakole, the top-rated contender with the IBF, who wasn't in camp and wasn't due to box till May, catapulted himself into the frame.

His trainer Billy Nelson volunteered Bakole immediately. His promoter, Ben Shalom was on the press conference stage with Joshua Buatsi, another of his fighters. He was on his phone at once offering Bakole's services.

The 31-year-old is currently the No 2 ranked contender for the WBO heavyweight title behind Zhilei Zhang, although he is the highest-rated available challenger due to Zhang already being in action that evening against Agit Kabavel for the vacant WBC Interim heavyweight title.

Bakole has fought on Riyadh Season events before, beating Carlos Takam in Saudi Arabia and Jared Anderson in Los Angeles. He got the lucrative opportunity to fight Parker, in the chief supporting contest to the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol rematch for the undisputed light-heavyweight championship on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Box Office.

On Friday Bakole flies to Addis Ababa and then on to Riyadh.

What they say

"We got a phone call yesterday," Bakole said. "I'm waiting on my plane, I'm ready to fly to Saudi Arabia for the fight tomorrow. We're ready to go.

"This means a lot to me, choosing me to replace Daniel Dubois on a big card, a big platform. I'm so grateful.

"I can't wait. This is unbelievable. It looks like I'm dreaming, but I'm not dreaming.

"I think I will shock the world tomorrow. I'm a boxer. So a boxer is like a soldier - any time they ask you go to war always be ready. So I'm ready to go."

Bakole's trainer Billy Nelson told Sky Sports: "Delighted with the opportunity that we were given. I'm fully confident that Martin can go over there and stop Joseph Parker and get the desired result on 48 hours' notice."

Will Bakole be cleared to fight?

The Riyadh Season event is under the jurisdiction of the British Boxing Board of Control. Robert Smith, the general secretary of the BBBoC, told Sky Sports: "On the medical front we're dealing with that now.

"When he gets here [Riyadh] he's going to have another medical, a full medical, to make sure we're satisfied he's alright.

"If it was a weight-making thing [which it isn't at heavyweight], we wouldn't be doing it. It's simple as that.

"He'll have a full medical, take it from there.

"Unusual but we're trying our best," Smith added. "[Dubois] was sick. I've got a medical report. The kid was sick. He can't box. The doctor said he couldn't box. Can't box. End of story. With regard to this one we're doing everything we can to make sure that Martin's fine. But until he gets here I can't give you a complete answer.

"It's our job to make sure our doctors are satisfied. If they aren't satisfied he won't be boxing. If they are satisfied, he will be boxing. But he's got to get here first."