Does this mean Joseph Parker's fight on Feb. 22 is a WBO Interim title fight?

I'm sure he's being considered. It's been like 35 minutes. But you do screw Parker who had 3+ months preparing for a completely different style with 2 days notice.

 

Bakole vs Parker is just as good imo

 

I think Bakole if he's in decent shape he has a chance to upset Parker he has the kind of style like Joyce relentless pressure to maybe pull it off.

 

I think its just logistics and money re getting Bakole in. Sucks for Parker though, he spent ages preparing for Dubois and a title shot and then he gets a hard night against someone like Bakole with no title.

Hopefully if he wins he can enforce his WBO mandatory and fight Usyk. The IBF might decide that Dubois has to fight his mandatory blocking the unification.

 

So its Parker vs Bakole for the WBO Interim. A decent fight, the winner should get the next shot at Usyk. Especially if the IBF feels like enforcing their mandatory on Dubois.

 

Wasn't Bakole fighting in a final eliminator for the IBF anyways?

I think this is a IBF/WBO interim champ fight

 

I thought the IBF doesn't rank other sanctioning bodies champs, including the WBO Interim Champ. For example Parker gave up his IBF ranking when he won it of Zhang.

 

Thats not an interim and the IBF doesn't like doing interims at HW period.

Dubois v Hrgovic was the first ever IBF HW interim.

 

Either way Parker is mandatory/interim/whatever if he wins this