Joseph Parker dispatched Martin Bakole in just two rounds after Bakole stepped in late for Daniel Dubois.
Joseph Parker moved to 36-3 on Saturday night after he stopped heavyweight boogeyman Martin Bakole in the opening rounds of their co-main event fight.
Bakole came in the ring as one of the heaviest boxers of all time alongside Butterbean and Valuev and arrived in Saudi Arabia the morning of fight night. Eddie Hearn has been a vocal critic of Bakole’s team’s decision to let him fight.
Bakole has since been slated by Frank Warren too, but has hit back insisting he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Parker now holds wins over Bakole, Zhilei Zhang, and Deontay Wilder in his last three fights, and has seen a second wind in his career following his loss to Joe Joyce.
He had originally planned to fight for his chance to become a two-time world champion, but that was put on hold after Dubois was taken ill. Parker hopes to still get his chance at the belts against Oleksandr Usyk or Dubois.
Andy Lee believes Joseph Parker should step aside for Daniel Dubois to fight Oleksandr Usyk 2
Parker’s trainer, Andy Lee, praised his charge for taking a risk against Bakole in an interview with Boxing King Media, and went on to speak on plans for Parker’s route to a world title:
“Even if it takes him sitting out and letting Dubois and Usyk fight, then he’ll sit out and fight the winner, then that’s what he should do.”
Usyk already defeated Dubois in 2023 when he stopped the Brit in the ninth round. The fight was, however, marred in controversy when Dubois floored Usyk with a low-blow that many think should’ve been a legal shot.
Usyk plans to leave no doubt, especially after Dubois stormed the ring after his second win over Tyson Fury.
Who else is in Joseph Parker’s trainer’s stable?
Andy Lee is known for the work he’s done with Parker and with Fury, but there are many other fighters he’s trained since his own professional career.
Lee retired as a fighter in 2017 with a record of 35-3-1, and now trains Jason Quigley, and Paddy Donovan.
Quigley is now 20-3, losing only to Edgar Berlanga, Demetrius Andrade and Tureano Johnson, and holding a win over Shane Mosley Jr.
Donovan is undefeated with a 14-0 record and is coming off a TKO win over Lewis Ritson. Donovan is set to face Lewis Crocker next week. Crocker is trained by Billy Nelson, who also trains Bakole.