Is Martin Bakole The Heavyweight Boogeyman No One Will Fight?
Some fighters are deemed risky to fight. That’s the reality for ranked heavyweight Martin Bakoke (21-0, 16 KOs). Other fighters in the division are doing their best to avoid him.
Third-ranked IBF heavyweight Agit Kabayel withdrew from a purse bid for an ordered IBF eliminator against Bakole. In reaction to the news, Bakole said the following:
“I’m so disappointed by Kabayal pulling out of the fight. He doesn’t want the smoke from the Congolese warrior . . . I don’t know why they’re hiding. I don’t know why they don’t want the smoke.
Now, I can see they don’t want to get knocked out. Everyone can see that. I think that people can now believe me when I tell them that people don’t want to fight me because they know I will knock them out. The reason is there now. Kabayel just ran away.”
TOO MUCH OF A THREAT?
No heavyweight has made a bigger splash in 2024 than Bakole. On August 3, the 32-year-old destroyed the previously unbeaten Jared Anderson in five rounds. It was an eye-opening performance for Bakole. In hindsight, that might have instilled fear in many of his contemporaries.
Since that evening, Bakole has called out every prominent heavyweight under the sun, including unified champion Oleksandr Usyk, IBF champion Daniel Dubois, and former WBC belt-holder Tyson “The Gypsy King” Fury. His challenges have been met with silence.
This is likely due to Bakole’s reputation of being a beast in the gym. The big man from The Congo claimed to have knocked out Usyk and Dubois during sparring sessions. Fury is on record talking about how Bakole has given his best work in the gym.
Ranked fourth by the IBF, Bakole is a large heavyweight with strength, power, and a ramrod of a left jab. Many in the boxing community compare him to Hall of Famer George Foreman. Like Foreman, Bakole is an intimidating presence in the ring.
There may be a reprieve as the IBF has now ordered a contest between Bakole and Zhang, who is fifth by the sanctioning body. However, Bakole and Zhang were in talks to fight in December 2024 in Zhang’s home country of China. Unfortunately, those talks suddenly went dry. Whether they fight in early 2025 in an IBF eliminator is an open question.
When word gets around about giving the elite fighters fits in sparring, coupled with what he’s done in recent outings, you’re viewed as a major threat. Bakole is ready to fight all comers. But are they ready and willing to fight him?
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