Anthony Joshua has revealed he wanted to face Joseph Parker on Saturday night.
The former heavyweight world champion had been keen to replaced Daniel Dubois after his withdrawal through an unspecified illness.
However, Joshua was unable to step in such short notice due to ‘injuries’.
Instead, Martin Bakole jetted to Saudi Arabia on short notice to face Parker.
The Congolese fighter was beaten via second round TKO at the Kingdom Arena in just his second professional loss.
Meanwhile, Joshua watched on ringside alongside former opponent Oleksandr Usyk.
The Brit also praised Bakole’s spirit after stepping in on such short notice.
He told DAZN: “He’s a fighter, that’s what he’s supposed to do. I wanted to step in, I got my injuries.”
Joshua added: “I get Martin Bakole’s mentality. If you got the belief and that power that Bakole has, that’s all you need.
“He wouldn’t have taken this fight if he’s not ready. I think he believes in himself more than his fitness. I just think he believes in himself.”
Bakole weighed in at over 300lbs after arriving in Saudi Arabia on Saturday morning.
However, he was unable to overcome Parker, who remains the WBO interim champion.
As for Joshua, the Brit is yet to return to the ring following his fourth career loss in September.
He was stopped by Dubois at Wembley Stadium after being downed four times in the bout.
The 35-year-old has also previously faced Parker, with the pair meeting in 2018.
Joshua claimed a unanimous decision victory at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff to defend his IBF, IBO and WBO titles.