ANB ARENA, SAUDI ARABIA -- Joseph Parker told everyone willing to listen that, no matter who was stepping in there with him this weekend, he'd deliver.

Martin Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) travelled on short-notice from his native Congo, replacing an ill IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois, though the hard-hitting contender wasn't expecting the right hook scrambling his senses to ultimately end the contest as Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) successfully defended the WBO interim title.

He stumbled and staggered to beat referee Steve Gray's eight count but needed ropes nearby to maintain his balance, so from the delayed reaction and that unsettling sequence alone, the 21-year pro official had seen enough from a well-intentioned adversary who arrived on Saudi shores less than 24 hours earlier.

Having given as good as he got in the early going, Bakole had his right hand cocked and set that shot up with jabs Parker needed to be wary of. The crowd could sense jeopardy in the air as Bakole's uppercut tagged him to finish a tense opener.

Bleeding from the nose early in the second, Parker needed to keep his distance and gauge the danger flying back at him. Soon enough, he was celebrating another highlight reel display.

2:17 was the time of the sharp stoppage for a bullish Kiwi whose confidence has been rebuilt under Andy Lee's tutelage. On what he was asked between rounds, the message relayed to the former IBF titleholder was simple: patience.

"I just went out there and listened to Andy, stayed calm, structured, composed and got the victory. When the overhand right comes, when he walks in and attacks, that's when you have to take your shot. That's the best way to catch them when they're coming in... I will fight anyone and everyone," Parker told DAZN's Chris Mannix.

The 33-year-old later asked unified champion Oleksandr Usyk if he wanted a dancing partner, having scored an emphatic finish against an out-of-shape opponent - though it's easy to criticise, Bakole willed himself forward and his unforgiving attitude could've deterred others as it did Jared Anderson last August.

In the build-up, Parker's coach Andy Lee stressed a need to adapt depending on the situation. Sure, this was a much different proposition than Dubois, but his words still proved prophetic.

"The repertoire of boxing punches is pretty basic: a jab, right cross, hook, hook, uppercuts. There are no other punches, so it's not like he's going to come out and reinvent or throw something we have never seen before. Joe's experience means he has seen it all by now, can see everything coming. He just needs to stay calm and if he wants to start fast, let him. Then you put the fire out and start your own."