Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom talks to Fight Hub TV about putting together a Joseph Parker vs Martin Bakole fight in record time, literally during today’s final press conference. Shalom says he’s never done a fight this quickly on the spot before but it’s a credit to how willing Bakole was to step in on late notice.
“This is the most ridiculous deal I’ve ever done,” Shalom said. “You people know we like to do things, you know, take our time. Daniel got injured, I saw the tweet like everyone did from The Ring magazine. I actually thought ‘that’s not true,’ I thought it was a stunt.
“And then I was speaking to Martin’s team whilst I was at the press conference, while the press conference was going on, and saying ‘would we take this fight?’ They’re like ‘100% we’re in.’ So I text [Alalshikh], I say ‘we’re in, we want this fight. If there’s an opportunity this is the only fight to make.’
“A bit back-and-forth, by then I’d forgotten there’s a press conference going on. I’ve come off the press conference, I walked, done a few laps, I’m on the phone to [Alalshikh], we got a deal done very, very quickly, no messing around. Martin wants it, gets on a flight ready to go.
“There’s a lot of work now still to do, got the medicals and all sorts but it’s happening and we’re going to get him here. It’s unbelievable and he deserves a huge amount of credit because no other heavyweight on planet Earth that would operate like this, two days knowing he has Joseph Parker. Unbelieveable.
“Martin got a call two hours ago, in the Congo…he’ll probably finish his meal and then he’ll come and that’s what he’s about.”