EDDIE HEARN paid tribute to Martin Bakole’s bravery but believes he should not have fought Joseph Parker.
The heavyweight stepped in at short notice after Daniel Dubois was ruled out days before the fight with sickness.
GettyEddie Hearn questioned Martin Bakole’s decision to take on the fight[/caption]
GettyBakole was KO’d by Joseph Parker in the second round[/caption]
Bakole travelled from the Congo and only arrived in Riyadh in the early hours on the day of the bout.
He weighed in considerably higher than his usual fight weight and looked rusty before being knocked out in the second round by a big Parker right hand.
Hearn questioned his decision to fight and suggested a member of his team should have intervened to prevent it from going ahead.
He told The Stomping Ground: “I don’t think the fight should have happened, if I’m honest.
“I don’t think anybody did anything wrong.
“But when you’re representing Martin Bakole, you’ve got to ask yourself [if it was the right decision]. For a long time, he struggled to get opportunities.
“Now he’s found his way in Riyadh Season. He’s developing a name, a brand. He’s got an IBF final eliminator to become the mandatory to Daniel Dubois against Efe Ajagba.
“Obviously, there’s more money tonight, but he did it [on a day’s notice]. He took two flights, indirect, across Africa and landed [in the] morning [before the fight].
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“I think sometimes, you just need to take a step back and think about what you are doing. [He] probably [does not] know what day of the week it is. I think it was a bad decision.
“Respect to the bravery, but sometimes, you’ve got to be a bit smarter than that. You need people around you to say absolutely not. I couldn’t be happier for Joe.”
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