Joseph Parker (35-3, 25 KOs) stepped onto the scales Friday night in Riyadh at a career-heaviest 267 pounds – 12 pounds heavier than his previous record – ahead of his clash with late-replacement Martin Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs). The fight headlines Saturday’s undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol’s undisputed light heavyweight rematch in Saudi Arabia.
Originally scheduled to challenge IBF champion Daniel Dubois, Parker now faces Congolese powerhouse Bakole after Dubois withdrew due to illness just days before the event. Despite the abrupt opponent change, Parker’s WBO interim heavyweight title remains on the line – keeping alive his path to reclaiming full championship status for the first time since losing the WBO belt to Anthony Joshua in 2018.
The New Zealander’s weight spike raises eyebrows given his recent dominant form. Since joining Tyson Fury’s training camp in 2023, Parker has delivered five straight wins – including upsets over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang. His leaner physique during that streak contrasted sharply with Friday’s 267-pound frame.
Bakole presents unique challenges: The 315-pound replacement fighter (per BoxingNews24) rides a seven-fight KO streak and stunned audiences by stopping rising American star Jared Anderson last August. However, he faced logistical hurdles this week – traveling over 2,000 miles from Congo to Saudi Arabia while Parker trained uninterrupted.
Promoter Frank Warren confirmed this bout maintains high stakes: “This keeps Joseph active in mandatory position across multiple sanctioning bodies.” A win could set up unification talks with Fury or Oleksandr Usyk later in 2025.
Parker remains confident despite last-minute chaos: “We adapt quickly – I’ve sparred Bakole before and know his style,” he told SecondsOut. Fury added via social media: “JP’s got this – smarter boxer with championship experience.”
