The promoter of Martin Bakole, Ben Shalom, says that he quickly concluded an agreement with the Turki Alshikh for Bakole (21-1, 16 KB) to be the replacement opponent of Joseph Parker on Saturday evening after the Champion of weights Heavy from the IBF, Daniel Dubois, withdrew from the fight due to illness.
Initially, there has been a lot of disappointment today about Dubois taken from the card due to a disease. Many boxing fans were looking forward to the combat of Dubois-Parker, considering it more interesting in some respects than the main event. However, Bakole is the perfect replacement opponent and could make it an even more interesting fight than the original.
Short notice, big fight
Bakole will not collapse mentally and suddenly leaves if the fact of taking place against Parker. It’s the blow on Dubois. He has the reputation of being an abandonment when things go wrong for him, and he could not shake this representative.
Shalom says that he immediately contacted Martin’s team to find out if their fighter would be willing to fight with Parker (35-3, 23 KB). They told Ben that Bakole could fight. Shalmon says he sent a text to Turki and told him that they would work to replace. An agreement was then negotiated quickly.
“It is the most ridiculous I have ever made. Usually we like to take our time. Daniel was injured and I saw the tweet like everyone in Ring magazine. I spoke to Martin’s team and I said, “Could we take this fight?” They are like, “100%, we are,” said promoter Ben Shalom to Fight Hub TV On how the fight between Martin Bakole and Joseph Parker was made.
“So, I sent a text to his excellence and said,” We are in it. We want this fight. If there is an opportunity, it is the only fight to make. That’s it. There was a little back and forth. I’m on the phone with His Excellency. We have concluded a very, very quickly agreement. No trigger. Martin [Bakole] wants it. Obtains a flight and is ready to leave.
“There is a lot of work to do with doctors and all kinds, but it happens. We will get it [Bakole] here. It is incredible, and it deserves a huge amount of credit because there is no other heavy goods vehicle on planet Earth that would work like this on a two-day notice against Joseph Parker. It’s amazing.
Parker vs. Bakole is the combat of co-functionalities of the Artur Beterbiev card against Dmitry Bivol 2 of the Kingdom card in Riyadh. The event will be presented live on Dazn PPV.
From Congo to Riyadh
“Martin received a call two hours ago, and it was everything in Congo. He will probably end his meal, then he will come. This is what it is. He is ready to leave. They should put him in mind of all the hearts and minds of each boxing fan because they call on people to do this, and they all have to make the fighters do it and they call for combatants to take crazy risks, ”said Shalom.
A flight by plane from the Congo to Saudi Arabia takes only six laps, which is not bad compared to what some fighters do when they travel over 10 hours in Riyadh. Bakole should agree to sit for so long on a plane and fight on Saturday as long as he leaves soon.
“So, don’t say that he takes too much risk because that’s what it is heavy boxing, and he deserves each credit that will come to him. I hope I think he will shock the world on Saturday evening, “said Shalom.
Parker will have to develop a perfect match plan to beat Bakole on Saturday, because the tactics he used in his last two fights will probably not work. He defeated Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder using angles, attacks in and constant movements. However, he fought older heavyweights that were far from their peak. Wilder looked Gunshy against Parker, and the 291 LB Zhang faded after three laps.
“He is [Bakole] I had a final IBF eliminator which he worked very hard, a shot guaranteed to a world title if he wins this fight. So no, this is not the case. What I think is the winner of Parker-Dubois would have to fight Martin anyway. If you are going to have a chance against Martin Bakole, you will put him in two days notice. Credit to the two fighters for having taken it, ”said Shalom.
It would be a Bakole fight against Dubois if it happens next. Unless Anthony Joshua chooses to take the revenge match with Dubois, Bakole would be the next one if he decided to continue the IBF route. Shalom stresses that Parker is the WBO temporary champion. So this could be an option for Bakole. It is unlikely that the current champion, Oleksandr Usyk, is ready to fight Bakole, but if he does it, it would be a huge fight. The two clashed, and there is information that Bakole has dropped USYK.
“What’s going on when he wins?” We just have to work with IBF and WBO now, but I think Joseph Parker is the interim WBO champion. We will see what’s going on with the IBF, but I’m going to settle everything now, “said Shalom.
It seems that Bakole can take his choice in the direction he wants to go for a global title if he wins against Parker on Saturday evening in their co-functionality battle in Riyadh.
Last update on 02/20/2025
