Is Martin Bakole the newest heavyweight Boogeyman?
Adopted Scot Martin Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs) has spent his entire professional boxing career struggling to stay relevant in a now bustling heavyweight division.
With only one defeat to his name, there are no doubts surrounding his ability, but for one reason or another, he has never quite managed to break into the spotlight and push for big fights and a future at the top of the division. Until now.
Following a shock-upset win over young prospect Jared Anderson, on August 3 in LA, Bakole has suddenly shot to super-stardom.
Those who keenly spend their free time browsing through boxing media, following the sport with interest, may have been less surprised with the result, but, for many, this is the first time they are hearing of the African Prince.
Who is Martin Bakole?
Trained by Billy Nelson, Martin Bakole has had an unconventional route to the top.
Son of the ruler of the Kananga province in Congo, and younger brother to former cruiserweight world champion, Ilunga Makabu, the 32-year-old Congolese combatant swapped the African tropics for the Flower of Scotland in 2016 to pursue his heavyweight aspirations.
Moving to a small Scottish village, he teamed up with legendary trainer Billy Nelson, who has been yelling at the top of his voice for years about his heavyweight, and now everyone is finally listening.
Sparring partner and friend of Anthony Joshua, and former training partner of both Daniel Dubois and Joe Joyce, it’s hard to discredit the Congolese puncher’s ability. His most recent bout has finally made the world aware of the hidden gem hiding within the heavyweight ranks.
Highly-rated heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson went into the fight a strong favourite, however, it wasn’t long before it became clear that the bout would be anything but conventional.
The U.S. prodigy was dropped swiftly in the first round by a well-placed uppercut, leaving him scrambling to get back into the fight.
Anderson rallied well in the third round, but his efficiency didn’t last long, the fourth round came and went, and by the start of the fifth, the 24-year-old looked to have little left in the tank. A heavy left-right combination put Anderson down for the second time.
The onslaught continued. Anderson was bullied by the 6′ 6″ titan before being dropped again in the fifth. While the youngster did well to get back to his feet, the fight looked already over and it didn’t take long for the referee to step in and declare a standing stoppage win for Bakole at 2:07 of the fifth stanza.
What’s next for the African Prince?
Following his latest victory, the 31-year-old suggested this was only the beginning: “I came here to work,” said Bakole, in a post-fight interview.
“This is what I do for my people in Congo, this is what I do for Scotland… I’m here to take over. I want to be No.1. No one wants to fight me. But with His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh], I can get any fight I want.”
It’s clear he has something big in mind, but what could be next for the boxer who appears to have risen from the shadows?
Rumours have been circulating of a potential showdown with another heavyweight bogeyman, Zhilei ‘Big Bang’ Zhang. Combined with the talks of a Riyadh season card in China, it seems all the pieces of the puzzle are starting to fit together.
In an interview on the talkSPORT Boxing podcast, Bakole confirmed that he is ready to take a fight with the Chinese powerhouse
“Like I said after the fight, I’m open to everyone,” he stated.
“Especially I’m open to the big Zhang because I know I can stop him, no matter where the fight is going to be. In China, Saudi Arabia, the UK, America, I’m ready to face him.
“I will make him pay, all my life I learnt boxing from my brother. I think it will be much easier for me, I know he is a tough and a good fighter but I’ll stop him, believe me.”
Asked to envision his future, the heavy hitter responded with confidence, clearly full of belief that he has what it takes to rise to the top.
“I see myself holding four belts, or two; heavyweight world champion, Martin Bakole. I can’t wait for that moment because I know I can clean them all.”
Looking back on his most recent outing, he once again exuberated confidence, stating that he always knew he would come out on top against the young American.
“I was not surprised, I was surprised when they told me he said yes to fight me. I was not expecting to fight Anderson because he’s still young, he has a lot to learn. He made a big mistake saying yes to fight me.”
While there is yet to be confirmation of a Bakole- Zhang showdown, the winner of the proposed bout would likely find themselves in line for a world title shot in the tail end of 2025. However, the winner must be made to wait for the result of the highly anticipated IBF battle between Joshua and Dubois, and likely a second-ever four-belt undisputed heavyweight showdown with the winner of Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk’s rematch.