Martin Bakole still willing to fight Ephesus Ajagba on the Canelo Alvarez tab despite the knockout of Joseph Parker

Martin Bakola is still ready to fight Effe Ajagba in May, despite the knockout defeat of Joseph Parker last month, says promoter Ben Shala.

Bakole intensified as a last-minute replacement to take over Parker on February 22 when IBF World Champion Daniel Dubois was forced to withdraw from the defense against the title due to illness.

The candidate for the heavyweight category has already needed the fight against Ayagba in the final eliminator of the world title, but answered the invitation and took two flights on the way from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Riyadh, where he landed in the morning of competition with regard to anxiety.

However, he did not, because Bakole had suffered stopping in the second round after falling under the impact to the top of his head, but now he will get the opportunity to immediately make some changes.

Bakole is now ready to be on Saturday, May 3rd, on the beare of the super-medium weight of King Canel Alvarez against William Scull in Saudi Arabia.

“I think on May 3, we hope it will be announced in the next week,” said Boxxer Executive Director Shalom Sky Sports.

“Canelo in Riyadh. I think the time zone for us is a better, huge map, so it just made sense.”

Bakole will arrive 21-2 after suffering his second defeat of his professional career, while Ajagba has been out of the ring since he beat Guida Vianella last April.

“He was his usual self, optimistic and ready to go,” Shalom added. “The main thing for me was that it could quickly get out of the fight that could be prepared for.

“I still believe that he is the most dangerous heavy in the planet, now he has to prove it.”

It remains to be seen whether the fight will continue to serve as the final eliminator, Bakole’s defeat against Parker, seemingly gently ran into the order.

Nevertheless, he knows that another victory pushed him into a feud.

“The fight is included, he is definitely fighting and it will be Ayagba,” he said to Shala.

“We will respond with the control bodies that he will succeed, he did not give up too far from any of the management bodies, he is there and I think people in boxing know what it was. I am excited that he had the whole camp and show what it was all about.

“He is one struggle from returning to the mix, but Ayagba is a difficult fight and pressure is involved. He has to perform now if he doesn’t play against Ayagba and win, that’s a problem. It’s a big career fight and he’ll know.”

Although unsuccessful, Bakole was widely accepted by the fight against Parker in just two days, while trying to increase his stock on what was charged as the largest ticket in box history.

The risk did not pay off, but Shalom is convinced that, with a full window in which to properly prepare, Bakola can remind the world why it represents such a threat to the best names in a difficult division.

“His manager and coach instructed me to do everything I can to fight, and I can only do my job in that position,” Shalom said. “It was crazy, he knows it’s part of his character, he retired to fans.

“The biggest problem at the beginning of his career was the way people knew who Martin Bakola was and now they know who he is.

“It was huge news, hit the top of his head, it could have happened in any fight.

“He had his own money that changes life, but we hope we can prepare properly and he can start the fights he deserves to be inside.”

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