However, Britain's Dubois was forced to withdraw from the Parker fight on Thursday, which was set to co-headline the Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol 2 mega-card in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Parker will instead defend his WBO interim heavyweight title against dangerous contender Martin Bakole on the show.

Daniel Dubois was forced to pull out of his fight against Joseph Parker due to illness. Dubois was set to take on Parker in the co-main event of the Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol 2 card on February 22.

Dubois was due to defend the IBF heavyweight title against Parker on Saturday, but the champion was pulled from the fight on two days’ notice due to illness. That led Bakole to step in, as the “most-avoided” heavyweight fights Parker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.