Joseph Parker produced big time tonight in a brutal knockout of the dangerous Martin Bakole inside two rounds.
Granted Bakole didn’t train for the fight and took it on less than two days notice and had to travel across continents at the last minute, but still heavily outweighed Parker.
Speaking to IFL after battering Bakole, Parker said:
“I’m fantastic. Emotional, happy, yeah. You know what? It gets emotional when you call the family because I’ve been away for a long time, and I can’t wait to see them. But first, I’m going to celebrate with the team I have here. They made me the best I could be tonight with all the hard work we put into camp.”
He added:
“The best way to attack someone is when they’re attacking you. Before the fight, the plan was to stay calm, composed, and structured—pick your shots. I showed that tonight. It was an awkward situation; the whole week was. But what credit do you give to Martin Bakole, the man who stepped up? He’s the most avoided heavyweight fighter out there currently, and he stepped up on two days’ notice to be your opponent. I just want to say thanks to Martin Bakole and his team—Billy Nelson and everyone. For this fight, they backed themselves. He didn’t have the same prep time, but he backed himself, went in there, and put on the best performance he could. I was able to get him out of there.”
Well said.
Bakole showed his heart to take the fight on that notice and travel that much like he did.
Bakole will be back of course but tonight was Parker’s night.
Many believe he’s earned his IBF heavyweight title shot against Daniel Dubois properly now with that.
