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Joseph Parker made quick work of Martin Bakole in a dominant performance at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, securing a second-round knockout to claim the WBO Interim heavyweight title.
The victory puts Parker in line for a potential world title shot, with Oleksandr Usyk holding the WBO world title.
Bakole, who came in as a last-minute replacement for the ill Daniel Dubois, was tasked with an extraordinary challenge.
Only two days before the fight, Dubois, the IBF world champion, fell ill, and Bakole accepted the challenge to face Parker in a high-stakes battle for the WBO Interim title.
The Congolese fighter traveled from Kinshasa to Riyadh, arriving early Saturday morning before stepping into the ring later that night.
The fight began with Parker working behind his jab, keeping Bakole at bay despite the latter’s imposing 310-pound frame. But just before the end of the first round, Bakole landed a solid right hand, catching Parker off guard.
After the round, the two fighters tapped gloves, and Bakole allowed himself a brief moment of celebration, pleased with his performance.
In the second round, Bakole, fighting in borrowed gloves from Dubois, aggressively pursued Parker.
The challenger attacked with body and head shots, demonstrating his determination.
However, Parker remained composed and struck back with a right hand that clipped Bakole on the head, causing him to lose his balance.
Bakole struggled to regain footing but used the ropes to pull himself up. Despite his efforts, the referee ruled him out at 2:17 of the second round, giving Parker the victory.
Parker, gracious in victory, praised Bakole’s willingness to step up on short notice. “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 after the match.
“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 now looks ahead to a potential world title shot. “How can I fight for the world title next? If Usyk wants a dance partner, I want to fight for a world title. I want to be champion of the world again,” he declared.
Shakur Stevenson demonstrated his elite skills with a dominant performance against Josh Padley, defending his WBC lightweight title in a fight that ended with three knockdowns in the ninth round.
Padley, who had been going about his day job as an electrician in Doncaster earlier in the week, stepped in at short notice to replace the sick Floyd Schofield and face Stevenson in a monumental challenge.
Stevenson, already a world champion in three weight classes, quickly imposed his will on Padley. The slick, fast southpaw controlled the action from the opening round, closing the distance and landing clean punches with ease.
In the second round, Stevenson landed a solid shot that sent Padley back, and by the third, he was in full control, landing a hard straight one-two combination that left Padley struggling to keep his feet under him.
As the rounds wore on, Padley showed determination, trying to fight back despite the clear skill and speed gap between the two. In the fifth round, a brutal backhand left to the body took a toll on Padley’s energy.
By the sixth, Stevenson was unleashing hooks and lead rights, overwhelming the challenger. Though Padley continued to battle, Stevenson kept up the pressure, landing several damaging blows.
Padley showed incredible heart, refusing to back down even when it looked like he was on the verge of being overwhelmed.
But Stevenson’s precision eventually proved too much. After Padley was knocked down three times, his corner wisely threw in the towel, ending the fight and conceding victory to Stevenson.
Despite the defeat, Padley earned respect for stepping into the ring against one of the sport’s top champions on such short notice.
Stevenson was in high spirits after the victory, continuing to build his legacy in the lightweight division.
As for Padley, although defeated, he can take pride in his courage and resilience, having pushed Stevenson deeper into the fight than many expected.
Boluwatife Enome
The post Joseph Parker Knocks Out Martin Bakole In Two Rounds In Riyadh appeared first on Arise News.
