Martin Bakole, a Congolese heavyweight, has garnered a reputation as a formidable sparring partner for top fighters like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Joe Joyce, Oleksandr Usyk, and Daniel Dubois. Bakole claims his impressive performances in sparring sessions have made him one of the most avoided fighters in the sport.
Bakole has openly discussed his sparring sessions, a rarity in boxing where what happens in sparring usually stays private. He asserts that he has given all the top heavyweights a tough time, even claiming to have knocked out Usyk and Dubois in sparring sessions. These stories have certainly built his reputation, but they have also made it difficult for him to secure big fights.
“I don’t lie, I don’t like to lie,” Bakole told talkSPORT.com. “If you watch BOXXER’s video, you will see. I was live on Sky Sports and Oleksandr Usyk’s manager came behind me and said, ‘This guy is going to be world champion tomorrow’ because he knows who I am. He was in the gym when I gave Usyk a hard time.”
Bakole claims that his tough sparring sessions have led to many top fighters avoiding him in actual bouts. He believes this has hindered his career progression as he struggles to land the big fights he desires.
“People are telling me not to talk about sparring, but people forget I’m from Africa and it’s very hard for me to sell tickets, so I need to sell myself,” Bakole said. “This is the reason why I accepted to spar with these guys because after I spar with them, I give them a hard time, people talk about me and they get to know about me.”
Despite the difficulties, Bakole is starting to get bigger opportunities. In October, he dispatched Carlos Takam in four rounds on the Fury vs. Francis Ngannou undercard. He is now set to face Jared Anderson in Riyadh Season’s first overseas event on August 3 in Los Angeles.
Initially, there were talks of him boxing Joe Joyce in July, but Joyce opted to fight Derek Chisora instead. “He said no,” Bakole said of the proposed fight with Joyce. “His promoter Frank Warren came and said, ‘Are you ready to fight Joe Joyce at the O2?’ I said ‘Yes,’ but then my coach came back and said, ‘Joe Joyce said no to me.’”
Bakole remains confident in his abilities and determined to prove himself in the ring. He believes his skills and experience make him a formidable opponent for any heavyweight contender.
“Ask anyone about me. Go ask Daniel Dubois about me, ask Joshua about me, ask Usyk about me, ask Tyson Fury about me, they will keep quiet. Nobody will say they gave me a hard time. I gave them all a hard time,” he stated.
As Bakole continues to pursue his career, his focus remains on securing high-profile fights and demonstrating his prowess in the ring. The upcoming fight with Jared Anderson presents another opportunity for Bakole to showcase his talent and move closer to his goal of becoming a world champion.
