Boxing body seeks next step for heavyweight title eliminator

The International Boxing Federation (IBF) will continue with the proposed Martin Bakole versus Efe Ajagba fight, but with reduced stakes, reports ringmagazine.com.


The IBF said that it would figure out a new plan to fulfill its heavyweight mandatory slot.
The Ring has confirmed that a new IBF heavyweight title eliminator will be assigned, though the participants were not yet established. Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) will still move forward with his planned May clash with Efe Ajagba (20-1, 14 KOs) at a New York City location to be determined.

However, the winner is no longer in line to become the mandatory challenger to the current IBF heavyweight titlist, Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs). That status changed after Bakole suffered a second-round knockout loss in a late-accepted assignment against Joseph Parker (36-3, 24 KOs), The Ring’s No. 3 heavyweight contender, on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ironically, Bakole, The Ring’s No. 6 heavyweight contender (though due for a one-spot demotion), lost out on the chance to become Dubois’ No. 1 contender by replacing the Brit this past weekend.
Dubois, The Ring’s No. 2 heavyweight contender, was due to defend his belt against Parker, but fell ill late in fight week and withdrew from the contest.
Parker instead risked his interim WBO title against Bakole, who accepted the fight on barely 48 hours’ notice.

https://guardian.ng/sport/ibf-downgrades-bakole-ajagba-fight/