With Daniel Dubois falling ill shortly before his scheduled title defense, Martin Bakole has stepped in on short notice to fight Joseph Parker. \

Background \

Dubois was set to defend his IBF heavyweight title but had to withdraw after being checked by doctors, as confirmed during the final press conference by his promoter, Frank Warren. Bakole accepted the bout just two days ahead of the fight, marking a significant opportunity for him. \

Despite the switch, this matchup won’t have the title on the line due to Dubois’ withdrawal. Originally, the fight’s winner was anticipated to face Oleksandr Usyk in a title unification soon after.