Martin Bakole stepped up on just 36 hours notice to take on Joseph Parker following the withdrawal of Daniel Dubois.
Parker was set to take on Dubois for his IBF World Heavyweight title, however, an illness caused the champion to withdraw from the bout on Thursday.
Remarkably, Bakole accepted the fight in Saudi Arabia, despite being in the Republic of Congo two days prior to the bout.
Arriving late on Friday night, Bakole had the odds stacked against him, however, fans still felt Parker was taking a risk.
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Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole ends in brutal 2nd round knockout
With the WBO Interim World Heavyweight title on the line, Parker and Bakole met in the co-main event of ‘The Last Crescendo’.
Bakole would come in at a remarkable 315 pounds for the biggest fight of his career, while Parker also weighed a career-heaviest.
However, it would be the lighter fighter to prevail on Saturday night.
After a promising first round, Parker was able to close the show with a brutal knockout in round two.
A right hand from the New Zealander would catch Bakole. Although the Congolese fighter seemed to be okay for a brief second, he would eventually crumble to the canvas.
As Bakole attempted to beat the count, his corner threw in the towel for their fighter, spelling the end of the bout.
Fans gave props to Bakole for stepping into the fight on such short notice, however, were ultimately not surprised at the outcome.
“It was definitely going to happen. He arrived in Riyadh this morning. He looks so tired coming into the ring,” one X user wrote.
Another X user commented, “Wow! That was some quick work there. Congrats to Parker! Salute to Bakole for taking the fight on short notice.”
Joseph Parker aiming for world title opportunity
Making his first defence of the WBO World Interim Heavyweight Championship, Parker is now looking to become a full champion of the division.
In his post fight interview, Parker said that he doesn’t care who he fights, he just wants an opportunity at a world title.
“Who’s next? How can I fight for the world title next?” Parker said.
To become a two-time world champion, Parker will either have to face Dubois or Oleksandr Usyk, who hold the WBC, WBO, and WBA World Heavyweight titles.