Martin Bakole has weighed in after replacing Daniel Dubois on just two days’ notice to face Joseph Parker.
Martin Bakole has arrived in Saudi Arabia less than 24 hours before he is set to face Joseph Parker for his WBO interim title.
Bakole was flown in from his home in the Congo on less than 48 hours notice to replace Daniel Dubois who was taken ill. In his last outing, Bakole knocked out Roy Jones Jr.’s prospect, Jared Anderson. The Congolese heavyweight holds a record of 21-1, with his one loss coming at the hands of Michael Hunter in 2018.
Bakole missed the live weigh-in due to traveling to Saudi Arabia on such short notice, but his weight has since been revealed.
Martin Bakole weighs in at over 300lbs ahead of Joseph Parker clash
Bakole has been heavy for his last few fights, weighing in at over 280 pounds ahead of his dominant performance over Jared Anderson, but has hit the scales at a career-heaviest, likely due to the fact he did not have a full fight camp ahead of taking the opportunity.
Bakole weighed in unofficially at 315 pounds, over thirty pounds heavier than in his last outing.
Eddie Hearn has hinted that Bakole’s weakness is his fitness, and this extra weight is sure to exacerbate that even more.
At such a heavy weight, Bakole joins the ranks of some of the heaviest boxers of all time, with only two notable boxers weighing more than him in their careers.
Eric Esch, more commonly known as Butterbean, weighed 330 pounds the night he dropped Larry Holmes in his final fight, and this weight was not uncommon for many of Butterbean’s bouts.
The American MMA and boxing star even ballooned up to 500 pounds at one point, but defied the odds and shed over 200 pounds after fearing for his health.
The only other fighter to weigh nearly as much is Nikolai Valuev, the 7ft giant turned member of parliament who lost to David Haye in 2009.
Valuev weighed in for that fight at 316 pounds, close to Bakole’s fight weight for Saturday night.
It remains to be seen whether such immense weight will hinder Bakole or if the heavyweight is made from something special.
Martin Bakole is still scheduled to fight Efe Ajagba after Joseph Parker
Before stepping in for Dubois, Bakole was set to fight Efe Ajagba in May in an IBF eliminator.
Despite taking on a big risk against Parker, who defeated Zhilei Zhang and Deontay Wilder in his last two outings, Bakole is still planning to face Ajagba in May, according to his trainer Billy Nelson.
Nelson replied to a tweet from Sam Jones stating: “When Martin beats Joe he still fights Efe in May.”
This comes after Jones joked that Ajagba had got off lightly by not having to face Bakole anymore.
Bakole faces Parker in the co-main event for Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2.
Also on the card, Hamzah Sheeraz fights for his first world title against Carlos Adames, with Adames sending Sheeraz a warning ahead of their fight.
Zhilei Zhang, who nearly died fighting Jerry Forrest, takes on Agit Kabayel, and Joshua Buatsi, who once prayed for a knocked-out opponent, defends his interim light-heavyweight title against Callum Smith.
All of this and more make up what has become known as the most stacked card in boxing.