Imagine. You receive the call from the sport’s most influential power broker. “You have a fight in hand. Catch the first available flight to Riyadh.” Imagine the thoughts rummaging through. It’s the biggest boxing stage. Fighting a top contender like Joseph Parker would elevate the game. Martin Bakole must have thought unvaryingly. But the heavyweight knew, perhaps there’s more at stake than just a title belt and fame.
To accept an offer in the eleventh hour is genuinely commendable. Martin Bakole did just that. ‘The Last Crescendo’ pitted Daniel Dubois and a resurgent Joseph Parker for a title fight. But the former pulled out of the fray. Given the WBO number 1 Zhilei Zhang had a slugfest scheduled against the promising Agit Kabayel, Bakole remained the most suited choice for a replacement. The Congolese heavyweight readily accepted. The decision nevertheless sparked discussions about the payout. Only that the reality, if there’s indeed one, failed to escape the keen eyes of a veteran boxing insider.
“Just keep in mind that 4 million USD was the lure for Martin Bakole to take that fight with Joseph Parker on 2 days notice,” said Rick Glaser on his latest tweet. Sharing further details the New York state boxing hall of fame (NYBHOF) inductee updated that after factoring in the deductions – the trainer fee and the team members’ salaries, he should have around $2.5 million.
Just keep in mind that 4 million usd was the lure for Martin Bakole to take that fight with Joseph Parker on 2 days notice. After paying everyone, probably ended up with 2.5 million in hand, & a comeback fight on a Riyadh Season show. Now you know. #Boxing
— Rick Glaser (@RealRickGlaser1) February 23, 2025
The best part, according to Glaser, is that Martin Bakole might have as well bagged a fight deal on a Riyadh season card. The tweet sparked a flurry of reactions from followers. One of the users asked what has been common knowledge. While Joseph Parker will receive the lion’s share of the payout, Martin Bakole will be rewarded with a $600,000 purse.
Rick Glaser replied, “Hiding money from the sacationing [sanctioning?] fees.” The revelation appears to have stirred some curiosity. According to earlier reports, the Parker-Bakole fight purse stood around $2.6 million.
Joseph Parker vs. Martin Bakole: Figures narrowing down
So out of that, probably due to the fact that he is the reigning interim title holder, Joseph Parker was supposed to receive around $2 million. Remaining $600,000 for the Kananga-born Bakole. But a report shared by ‘The Sun’ seems to confirm what Rick Glaser mentioned. Based on the information ‘SunSport’ received, the purse for the Parker-Bakole hovered at the $11.4 million ballpark – $7.6 million for the interim heavyweight champion and $3.8 million for the challenger.
MANCHESTER , UNITED KINGDOM – 2 November 2019; Martin Bakole following his heavyweight bout against Rodney Hernandez at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
In the end, Martin Bakole buckled under Joseph Parker’s devastating right overhand. But despite the defeat, for Bakole to have accepted a fight without undergoing a training camp, the gesture received widespread appreciation. The latest revelation, if it’s true, tends to add an intriguing angle to the whole story.
What’s your take on Rick Glaser’s update regarding Martin Bakole’s remuneration for the Parker fight?
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