Bakole calls himself ‘the most avoided heavyweight on the planet’ and there is plenty of evidence to support that claim. The Congolese fighter is a heavy hitter with a solid chin who has generally struggled to get any of the big names in the ring with him because of the risk he presents with little reward.
His best wins include a knockout of Carols Takam and last time out he secured an impressive stoppage win over the hotly rated US prospect Jared Anderson.
He has long called out everyone from Oleksandr Usyk to Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, and finally, he has got his shot this weekend in a big bout, despite already being scheduled to fight Efe Ajagba later in the year.
After news broke that Dubois had fallen sick, a search for his replacement began. Bakole has stepped up as the last-minute stand-in to face Parker, who must again be credited for his courage in taking on yet another fierce opponent, this time at impossibly short notice.
In a resurfaced message posted on X, Bakole once predicted how a fight against the former WBO ruler Parker would go.
“On points, maybe knock him out.”
Although no belts will be on the line, the winner will presumably be the first to get a shot at IBF champion Dubois as soon as he is back to full health.
