'You just need to take a step back!' - Eddie Hearn questions Martin Bakole team over Joseph Parker decision

Martin Bakole's team should not have accepted a late offer to fight Joseph Parker this weekend, with Eddie Hearn wondering if it has done more harm than good for the star.

The Congolese fighter was called up at short notice to face the New Zealander at Riyadh Season's The Last Crescendo after Daniel Dubois pulled out on Thursday.

• Read more | Relive all the action from Riyadh Season's The Last Crescendo as Dmitry Bivol and Joseph Parker triumph

Bakole was forced to catch two flights to Saudi Arabia and only arrived on the day of the fight, where he was subsequently defeated inside two rounds by Parker.

Speaking afterwards, Hearn stressed that he believed it was the wrong choice to accept the bout, especially with an IBF title eliminator looming in May for the star.

"I don't think the fight should have happened, if I'm honest," he told The Stomping Ground. "I don't think anybody did anything wrong.

"But when you're representing Martin Bakole, you've got to ask yourself [if it was the right decision]. For a long time, he struggled to get opportunities.

"Now he's found his way in Riyadh Season. He's developing a name, abrand. He's got an IBF final eliminator to become the mandatory to Daniel Dubois against Efe Ajagba.

"Obviously, there's more money tonight, but he did it [on a day's notice]. He took two flights, indirect, across Africa and landed [in the] morning [before the fight].

"I think sometimes, you just need to take a step back and think you are doing. [He] probably [does not] know what day of the week it is. I think it was a bad decision.

"Respect to the bravery, but sometimes, you've got to be a bit smarter than that. You need people around you to say absolutely not. I couldn't be happier for Joe."

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