Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole: 4/6 and 7/2 Betting Tips

Joseph Parker was initially set to face IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois on Saturday night, only for the latter to fall ill and scupper the bout at the eleventh hour. 

Parker's hopes of fighting in Riyadh initially looked to be dead in the water, until contender Martin Bakole stepped up and volunteered to step-in with the New Zealander. 

While no world title will be on the line this weekend, the bout is as tantalising as any in boxing's premier division, but how should the fight be approached from a betting perspective?

Our tipster Brad Walker (@brad_TWalker) has you covered with TWO go-to tips ahead of the opening bell in Saudi Arabia.

Outside of Oleksandr Usyk, the aforementioned Dubois and Parker are two of the leading heavyweights currently in operation, so news of their fight's cancellation was predictably met with disappointment. 

In years gone by, the best-case solution would've seen Parker be handed an eight-round contest against some unknown bin man unearthed from the depths of the BoxRec rankings. But things aren't as they once were. Boxing is a different sport now, courtesy of Turki Alalshikh's ever-growing influence.

Attention immediately shifted to potential replacements for the illness-stricken Dubois and a number of names banded about on social media. The likes of Lawrence Okolie and David Adeleye were both mentioned as possible alternatives, before news broke that none other than Martin Bakole was on his way to the Middle East to seal a showdown with former WBO champion Parker in the chief support slot of Saturday's card. 

Born in Congo, Bakole is based north of the English border in Scotland with trainer Billy Nelson. The pair have been adamant the 31-year-old has what it takes to compete at the highest level, though Bakole had initially struggled to land the opportunities allowing him to backup these claims. Numerous rumours have emerged of Bakole dropping fighters X, Y and Z down the years but little substantive evidence was on offer. 

Bakole has been avoided for the majority of his professional career so far. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)

That was until Bakole met American heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson in August. Also on a Riyadh Season-backed card, Bakole pummelled, dropped and stopped the then-unbeaten 25-year-old inside five rounds to confirm what he and Nelson already knew: he is a force to be reckoned with for all-comers at world level. 

A win over Parker this weekend would seal a shot at IBF title-holder Dubois. Bakole is already third in the IBF rankings and was set to meet fourth-ranked Efe Ajagba in a final eliminator for the title later this year. 

Winning on two days notice would be impressive against any opponent, yet the recent form of Parker would make a Bakole victory even more eye-opening. The latter has reaped the benefits of Riyadh Season cards more than most, picking up notable victories over both Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang in the last 15 months. 

Parker was able to steer clear of the right-hand of an admittedly gunshy Wilder before picking himself up off the canvas twice to outpoint Zhang by majority-decision in March last year. He had more than earned a shot at a world title and remains on course to challenge Dubois later in the year, providing he avoids defeat against Bakole this weekend. 

To even take on a challenge of this calibre at such short-notice should draw praise given he's the fighter with everything to lose on Saturday night.

Best bets for Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole

Selection #1 - Joseph Parker to win - 4/6

To put this bout together within hours of the Dubois fight being cancelled is testament to the mentality of Turki Alalshikh and the two fighters involved. Seeing two of the division's leading contenders trade blows to earn a shot at a current beltholder is exactly what boxing fans want to see.

However, questions remain over whether Bakole is in the necessary shape which will allow him to compete over the 12-round distance. He can be forgiven for coming in a little pudgy given that he had no expectations of fighting this weekend. Not having to worry about making weight is a luxury only the heavyweights can enjoy. 

Still, Bakole is hardly a fleet-footed fighter even in prime condition and his slugging style will make him an incredibly difficult proposition during the early stages. But will he be able to maintain the necessary level if the bout reaches the latter stages?

Parker has impressed with victories over Wilder and Zhang in his last two fights. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)

Parker has never been known as a huge puncher and has performed best when making the use of lateral movement and boxing his way to decisions. Indeed, that's exactly what he did against both Wilder and Zhang in arguably the two standout victories of his career. 

One thing he cannot afford is to get caught lacking as he was against China's Zhang, who was able to drop the New Zealander on two separate occasions before ultimately coming up short. Providing Bakole, a notorious heavy-hitter, with opportunities to land clean will narrow the gap significantly in the Congolese fighter's favour. 

Ultimately though, only one of these men have completed full camps for the bout this weekend. Bakole should be credited for jumping in two days out from the opening bell but ending the night with his hand raised would be a shock, especially given Parker's form. 

Bakole's best chance of winning undoubtedly comes in the opening four of five but expect Parker, buoyed by the advice of trainer Andy Lee in the corner, to come out on top here.

Selection #2 - Joseph Parker to win by Decision/Technical Decision - 7/2

As mentioned, Parker isn't known for his knockout prowess and has gone the distance in three of his last five. The two fights which ended inside the distance were also against lower-level opposition than the man standing in the opposite corner this weekend. 

While there's more than enough juice in the Parker win at 4/6, backing him to do so on the cards at 7/2 is also an appealing proposition.

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