Joseph Parker and his team want a title shot against unified three-belt heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk next after their second-round knockout win over grossly out-of-shape 315-lb Martin Bakole last Saturday at The Venue in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Boxing fans on social media are NOT interested in seeing Parker challenge WBA, WBC and WBO heavyweight champion Usyk next for his title. They view that as a far less interesting match for Usyk than seeing him face IBF champion Daniel Dubois in a rematch for the undisputed championship. That fight has a lot more meaning to it.
No Case for Usyk
Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) hasn’t proven himself worthy of a world title shot against Usyk or even Dubois because his last three fights have all had asterisks next to them due to his advanced age and his opponents being out of shape.
Parker’s last three wins:
– Martin Bakole: 315-lb untrained blob
– Zhilei Zhang: 291-lb and 41-years-old
– Deontay Wilder: 1-3 record coming into the fight
Parker needs to fight Bakole in a rematch after he’s been through a full 10-week camp and lose 40+ lbs to get down to a reasonable weight. That would be the fair thing. An alternative would be for Parker to fight Agit Kabayel. The winner gets a title shot and gets back in line.
Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) came in on two days’ notice and was flattened by a right hand from Parker in round two of this disappointing blowout in the chief support bout on the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 card. Those two fights failed to deliver the excitement that had been hoped during the build-up to Saturday’s event.
“It would be awesome to fight Dubois or Usyk. We’ll see what they have planned,” said Joseph Parker to Fight Hub TV when asked who he wanted to fight next after his victory over Martin Bakole last Saturday night in Riyadh.
“Usyk,” said coach Andy Lee to the Stomping Ground on who he wants next for his fighter Parker. “Joe beats him [Usyk]. Joe is faster, and we got the power. Joe can match him, and he’s younger and fresher. Joe can match him in every way. Trust me. You might not believe me, but trust me.”
“Martin Bakole was rated as one of the best. Nobody [wanted to fight him]. Joe did, and look what he done,” said Parker’s manager Spencer Brown, making a big production about Joseph’s victory over an obese 315-lb Bakole. “Okay, he might have been a few pounds pounds [40+ lbs to be exact], but that’s what he’s done.”
Last Updated on 02/23/2025
