Joseph Parker was forced to fight Martin Bakole after his highly anticipated clash with Daniel Dubois fell through at the last moment.
Dubois, who was set to face Parker in defense of his IBF heavyweight title, pulled out due to illness just days before the bout, leading to speculation and frustration among fans.
Parker, the former WBO heavyweight champion, had been preparing extensively for the fight and was in top shape, ready to continue his string of impressive performances, with wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in his last two fights.
Though he did dispatch late-replacement Martin Bakole in two rounds, Parker missed his chance to become a two-time world champion.
Dubois, on the other hand, had been riding high following a stunning upset victory over Anthony Joshua and was expected to be a tough challenge for Parker.
However, with the fight called off and no concrete medical reports provided, doubts began to surface about the legitimacy of Dubois’ withdrawal.
Parker Questions Dubois’ Withdrawal
Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, Parker expressed his confusion and skepticism over the situation. He noted that Dubois appeared to be in good health during the public workout, only to fall ill shortly after, without any official statement clarifying the extent of his condition.
“It feels weird because [Dubois] was at the public workout and then, just like that, he got real ill and there was no real statement. There’s no real proof or doctors. There’s nothing. It feels a bit weird,” Parker said.
His comments have fuelled speculation that Dubois may have chosen to withdraw for reasons beyond illness.
Adding to the intrigue, Parker pointed out that shortly after Dubois pulled out, Oleksandr Usyk began calling out the British heavyweight out for a potential rematch, leading some to believe that Dubois may have strategically avoided Parker in favor of a bigger opportunity.
“It feels a bit strange that [it happened] during that time that Usyk started calling out Dubois saying he wants him next,” Parker added.
What’s Next for Parker and Dubois?
With the fight scrapped, Parker now finds himself waiting for his next move, while Dubois could be heading toward a rematch with Usyk, whom he previously faced in a controversial bout marred by a disputed low blow.
The situation has left questions unanswered, but one thing is clear—Parker doesn’t seem convinced by Dubois’ reasoning for pulling out.
As the heavyweight division continues to shift, all eyes will be on Dubois to see if he responds to Parker’s comments—or if their fight will eventually be rescheduled.
Fans believe Parker has done more than enough to get a world title shot, but it seems that may now be shelved for now.
