Joseph Parker made a powerful statement in Riyadh by knocking out Martin Bakole in just the second round, despite the fight not being his originally planned bout.
Parker landed a decisive overhand right to Bakole’s head, sending him to the canvas and prompting the referee to end the fight.
Bakole, who took the fight on only 48 hours’ notice, showed courage but was clearly at a disadvantage, entering the ring overweight and unprepared.
Parker, seizing the opportunity, finished the fight early, marking his quickest knockout since 2015.
Following the victory, Parker reiterated his ambitions for a world title, calling out Oleksandr Usyk and questioning Daniel Dubois’ last-minute withdrawal from their scheduled IBF title fight.
