Martin Bakole Calls For Fight with Dillian Whyte & Threatens a Knockout!
Heavyweight Martin Bakole (19-1, 14 KOs) is fresh off his three-round destruction of previously unbeaten Igor “Hulk” Shevadzutskiy on April 22 in Rzeszow, Poland. Now Bakole wants to inflict similar punishment on a fighter who has become his heated rival, Dillian “The Body Snatcher” Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs).
The tension between Bakole and Whyte is not something fabricated for media hype. Whyte was in attendance at Bakole’s victory over Shevadzutskiy. It was there where Bakole and Whyte had a heated shouting match, and Bakole challenged Whyte to a fight right there on the spot.
GENUINE ANIMOSITY
Following his win, Bakole sat down with UK source iFL TV and said he would like to fight The Body Snatcher ASAP. When asked what he would do to Whyte in the ring, Bakole didn’t mince any words.
“He’s scared; I saw that he’s scared . . . I’ll stop him cold like Tyson Fury did. I’ll knock him out bad. I want this fight to happen.”
“I’m not talking just to talk. I’m Martin Bakole . . . I got power, everything . . . I know who I am, and I believe in myself.”
Since a tenth-round stoppage defeat to Michael Hunter in October 2018, Bakole has not lost. The big man from the Democratic Republic of The Congo has improved significantly since that setback. That progression was evident during Bakole’s majority decision victory over the highly touted Tony Yoka in May 2022. He continued the momentum against Hulk. Bakoke is now ranked second by the WBA and seventh by the WBC.
Whyte has been a perennial contender in the division for several years. Coming off a majority decision win over Jermaine Franklin in November 2022, Whyte is looking for a fight. Bakole certainly fits the bill as a quality opponent.
WHY WAIT?
There is a window for a Bakole-Whyte matchup to occur. Despite his high ranking in the WBA, Bakole is unlikely to receive a title shot anytime soon.
Bakole is signed to Boxxer, while Whyte is with Matchroom. The two UK-based promoters are not adverse to working together to make a fight. It would make for an excellent contest in the summer or early fall.
Fans love grudge matches, especially when it involves fighters who carry knockout power. This potential matchup would qualify. Now would seem fitting for Boxxer and Matchroom to have a meeting of the minds and have the two big men settle their differences in the ring.
