He has been looking to try and move closer to a coveted world title shot since then despite talk of a rematch with Hunter, with the IBF ordering another final eliminator for Dubois’ title back in December between Bakole and Nigerian Efe Ajagba after Agit Kabayel withdrew to fight another possible option in Zhang this weekend instead.
The hard-hitting Congolese heavyweight has stepped in at very late notice to replace Daniel Dubois, who had been due to defend his IBF heavyweight world title as the chief support act to the undisputed light-heavyweight title rematch between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol at the Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia, part of what some have called the best card in boxing history.
Bakole has typically found big bouts hard to come by despite his talent with claims that no one wants to fight him, likely even less so after he dismantled the highly-rated American talent Jared Anderson in just five rounds on the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov undercard in Los Angeles on his last outing last August.
Lawrence Okolie, David Adeleye and Mourad Aliev were all initially said to be among the options being considered to replace Dubois as organisers attempted to secure a late replacement opponent for former WBO champion Parker, who has enjoyed a career resurgence over recent years since losing to Joe Joyce including back-to-back eye-catching wins over Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang.
That is despite Bakole having been in the Democratic Republic of Congo when he got the call, with the 31-year-old only able to fly to Saudi on Friday - via Ethiopia - and missing the weigh-in as he arrived in the early hours of Saturday morning and unofficially then tipped the scales at a huge 315lbs - some 48lbs heavier than Parker, who himself had been a career-heaviest 267lbs as he weighed in alone earlier on Friday and had a joking face-off with promoter Warren.
