The president of the World Boxing Organization (WBO), Gustavo Olivieri, has confirmed that Martin Bakole and Joseph Parker will contend for the interim WBO heavyweight championship, which is currently held by the New Zealander. This information comes from Ring Magazine.
According to Olivieri, the bout will be fully sanctioned by the WBO, as Bakole is ranked second in their standings and is the highest-rated available contender.
The Parker vs. Bakole fight is set to take place on February 22 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Originally, Parker was scheduled to face IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, but the British fighter withdrew from the match due to a viral infection.
Parker's last fight was in March 2024, where he secured a majority decision victory over Zhilei Zhang. He has a professional record of 35 wins (23 by knockout) and three losses.
Bakole last competed in August 2024, achieving a knockout victory over Jared Anderson in the fifth round. His record stands at 21 wins (16 by knockout) and one loss.
