Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole Preview: Start Time, Date, Fight Card, How To Watch & Live Stream

Joseph Parker has a last-minute change of opponent in Riyadh... in steps Martin Bakole.

Joseph Parker faces Martin Bakole in a heavyweight bout this weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia / IMAGO/AAP

Martin Bakole has stepped in at 48 hours notice to fight Joseph Parker on the Beterbiev vs Bivol undercard this weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

News broke late on Thursday night that Daniel Dubois had been taken ill, causing his IBF heavyweight world championship defense against the Kiwi to be shelved.

Dubois' loss is Bakole's gain, and the Scottish-based Congolese fighter will be aiming to grab this opportunity of a lifetime with both hands in what has been sanctioned as a WBO heavyweight interim title fight.

MORE: Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole Prediction And Odds

When Martin Bakole found out the Joseph Parker deal was done. pic.twitter.com/PhuPASEaml

— Ring Magazine (@ringmagazine) February 20, 2025

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Keys to Victory

Joseph Parker has to be given a lot of credit for taking this late change of opponent... especially in the shape of Martin Bakole.

Bakole has proved himself somewhat of a boogeyman in the division of late, and the 33-year-old brings a big punch and buckets of durability to what is likely to turn into a bit of a shootout.

But Parker will be wary of getting drawn into that. The Kiwi has been preparing for Dubois for the past couple of months, and it is likely that the game imposed by his team would have been to try and chop Dubois down over the distance using feints and slips in the pocket.

Whether this will work on Bakole will be seen on Saturday night, as well as whether Andy Lee and Team Parker decide to rip up the plan and start from fresh.

MORE: Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole To Be For Interim Title

Weigh-In Highlights

Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole fight date

Date: February 22, 2025

Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole will take place on February 22, 2025.

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Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole start time

Time: 3 pm EST (12 pm PST)

Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole will start at 3pm EST (12pm PST)

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How to watch Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole

TV/ Stream: DAZN/DAZN PPV, TNT Sports Box Office, Sky Sports Box Office

Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole will stream on DAZN/DAZN PPV, TNT Sports Box Office, Sky Sports Box Office

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Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole location

Location: anb Arena (Formerly The Venue), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Vergil Ortiz vs. Israil Madrimov will take place at the anb Arena (Formery The Venue) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Note: The venue for this event was changed on February 21st from Kingdom Arena to anb Arena (Formerly The Venue).

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Fight Card

Undisputed light heavyweight title fight main event: Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2

Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole: WBO interim heavyweight title

Shakur Stevenson vs Josh Padley: WBC lightweight title

Carlos Adames vs Hamzah Sheeraz: WBC middleweight title

Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Israil Madrimov: WBC world interim super welterweight title

Zhilei Zhang vs Agit Kabayel: WBC interim heavyweight title

Joshua Buatsi vs Callum Smith: WBO light heavyweight interim title

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