Joseph Parker delivered a statement victory by knocking out Martin Bakole in the second round to retain the WBO interim title at the ANB Arena in Riyadh.

Bakole, who was on holiday, stepped in as a last-minute replacement for Daniel Dubois , the IBF world champion, who fell ill just two days before his bout with Parker.

The Congolese heavyweight arrived in Riyadh in the early hours of Saturday morning before facing Parker later that night for the WBO Interim title.

But the fight was over almost as quickly as it began. Parker landed a crushing right hand to the top of Bakole’s head, sending his opponent to the canvas. Referee Steve Gray stopped the contest at 2:17 of the second round after Bakole’s corner waved the fight off.

Originally scheduled to challenge Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title, Parker instead retained his WBO Interim belt with an emphatic knockout.

The 33-year-old New Zealander improved his record to 36-3 (24 KOs) and extended his winning streak to six. Meanwhile, Bakole, who took the fight on just two days’ notice and weighed in at 310 lbs, saw his 10-fight winning streak snapped, dropping to 21-2 (16 KOs).

Parker Calls for World Title Shot

After the fight, Parker showed appreciation for his late-replacement opponent.

“Martin Bakole, thank you for accepting the challenge of flying all the way here on short notice and giving me a good fight,” Parker said.

“I stayed calm, structured, composed, and got the victory. I’m fit, strong, healthy, and sharp. Andy Lee broke it down for me—I had to be patient.”

With the WBO Interim title in hand, Parker is now the mandatory challenger for the WBO world championship, currently held by unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Head of Sports at BusinessDay Media, a seasoned Digital Content Producer, and FIFA/CAF Accredited Journalist with over a decade of sports reporting.Has a deep understanding of the Nigerian and global sports landscape and skills in delivering comprehensive and insightful sports content.