Latest news with #MartinBakole
The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bakole's Sparring Tales: Hype or heavyweight truth ahead of vital fight on Canelo card?
Martin Bakole is hoping to bounce back after a second-round knockout loss to Joseph Parker last year – he takes on Efe Ajagba on the Canelo vs Scull undercard in Riyadh tomorrow, Saturday, May 3. The Congolese man possess immense power in both hands and claims to be the most-avoided heavyweight in the world because he has sparred with, and given a hard time to, the biggest names in the heavyweight division. Regaling stories of broken noses, wobbly legs and body shots, Bakole is either a great salesman or a genuine heavyweight threat. Which heavyweights does Bakole claim to have smashed in sparring? Joe Joyce The only claim of Bakole's with any evidence to back it up is that he and Joe Joyce went toe-to-toe in sparring. The video, posted to X in March, last year garnered a lot of attention in the boxing community. The clip shows he and Joyce exchanging single shots before Bakole unloads with a three-shot combination that knocks Joyce's headguard off. The post was captioned: 'This is the reason why UK heavyweights are avoiding me guys.' Bakole may not have been telling the whole story, however, as 'The Juggernaut' and his team responded with a video from what seems to be a different sparring session as Bakole is wearing different attire. It shows Bakole on his knees in the ring, looking like he was about to throw up into a bucket. Joyce's team claimed this was from an accumulation of body shots – Bakole refuted this, claiming he had eaten eggs on the way to sparring that had not agreed with him. Daniel Dubois Throughout 2024, Bakole seemed unable to go the length of an interview without mentioning or being asked about sparring with Daniel Dubois. Revealing what happens behind closed doors is usually not the done thing but Bakole was using it to get himself closer to a fight with the IBF champion. He told iFL TV: 'I broke his nose twice and stopped him. That is not a lie because, he would never come say that I am lying,' These claims have never been confirmed, nor have they been addressed by Dubois, but Bakole does admit that he uses these sparring stories to sell himself. "People are telling me not to talk about sparring,' he told talkSport. 'But people forget I'm from Africa and it's very hard for me to sell tickets, so I need to sell myself." Oleksandr Usyk Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk is another of the names that the heavy hitter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has claimed to have roughed up in sparring. "Even Usyk, I don't think he'd say yes (to fighting me)," Bakole said on Sky Sports, 'because I stopped him in Dubai in sparring. He knows how good I am. I don't know if he'll say yes again to fight me as well. I am telling the truth." The Usyk camp responded to this and although they gave credit to Bakole as one of the best sparring partners Usyk has had, they insisted that it was their man who nearly stopped the Congolese slugger. Anthony Joshua AJ sparred with Bakole in Sheffield whilst still under the tutelage of Rob McCracken. Bakole claims that he was one of seven guys to spar Joshua on the first day. Once the second day rolled around it was only him and Agit Kabayel left in the gym. He sparred six rounds with the former unified heavyweight champion. "The first round went nice," Bakole told talkSport."But AJ tried to knock me out but I was like, 'What the hell?'" So my coach said 'show him', and I caught him with a beautiful left hand. It shook his head and shook his legs. Everyone went quiet in the gym, I used the left hook yeah and people saw it." Bakole has made bold claims outside the ring — now he must deliver inside it. A convincing performance against Ajagba this weekend would be the first step toward proving he belongs among the heavyweight elite.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Martin Bakole and Ilunga Makabu: Brothers in boxing
Heavyweight contender Martin Bakole will take on another prospect in Efe Ajagba on the 3rd of May on the Canelo vs Scull undercard. The self-proclaimed 'most avoided' heavyweight will be looking to get back on track after a second-round knockout loss to Joseph Parker in February on two days' notice. But what many don't know is that Bakole's boxing inspiration is his older brother, Ilunga Makabu, the former WBC cruiserweight champion. Their difference in name has kept their relation relatively unknown throughout their careers, but who are the brothers and how did they both end up as elite level boxers? Who is Ilunga Makabu? Makabu's professional boxing record stands at 30-4 (26 knockouts). Born in Kananga, the capital of Kasai Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Makabu left home at the age of twenty and ended up in Johannesburg, South Africa. He was taken under the wing of the late famous trainer Nick Durandt who helped him turn professional in 2008. The 37-year-old still trains with Durandt's son, Damien. Makabu had an early set-back, losing his debut by first round TKO. He rebounded with a string of nineteen back-to-back victories, winning all but one by knockout and collecting the WBC Silver and International titles along the way. It was a trip to Merseyside for the biggest fight of Makabu's career – facing Liverpudlian boxing legend, Tony Bellew, for the vacant WBC cruiserweight belt at Goodison Park in 2016. A loss by third-round knockout after dropping Bellew in the first sent the Congolese knockout artist back to the drawing board. A fight in Kinshasa, billed as 'Rumble in the Jungle II', saw Makabu defeat Michal Cieslak over twelve rounds to claim the WBC cruiserweight title in 2020. He successfully defended his belt twice before losing it in a twelfth-round stoppage to current champion Badou Jack in 2023. The former champion would get a shot at reclaiming his cruiserweight throne later that year after Jack vacated his belt. The South African-based fighter lost by a third-round knockout to Noel Mikaelian and has since only fought once, in a fight held in Kinshasa. Martin Bakole: The not-so-little brother Standing at 6ft 6in and weighing more than 250lbs, it is hard to see anything little about Bakole. He currently holds a record of 21-2 (sixteen knockouts) and is based in Airdrie, Scotland, via The Congo and South Africa. Bakole credits his older brother as the reason he left home. Makabu called him and told him to come to South Africa and train with him – which led to him accompanying his brother to Liverpool for his world title fight against Tony Bellew. Citing that the heavyweight game in South Africa was not where he wanted it to be at that time, he decided the UK was the right place for him and asked if his promoter could find him a fight. "I went there, but boxing in South Africa is down at the moment in the heavyweights," Bakole told Queensberry Promotions. "I decided to come here because my brother was fighting Tony Bellew for the WBC world title, which he lost in 2016. I told him then that I wanted to stay because, for me, boxing is now here in the UK." After being sent to Scotland for sparring, Bakole met his current trainer Billy Nelson for the first time. The 31-year-old is now settled in Airdrie and has been training under Nelson since 2016. Their partnership has been a successful one, with Bakole winning sixteen of his eighteen fights whilst being based in Scotland. He most recently lost to Joseph Parker for the WBO interim heavyweight title. Bakole will now be hoping to reestablish himself in the heavyweight division, continuing his journey on the path first carved by his older brother. Their shared pursuit of boxing success - though often unrecognised as a family affair - has shaped two elite careers across different weight classes. Watch Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez's historic night in Riyadh against William Scull exclusively on DAZN PPV. The PPV cost is $59.99 US; £/€21.99 UK/IRE; $24.99 ROW. Check price in your country here. Watch on any device via the DAZN app, including Smart TV's, smartphones, tablets; streaming devices, games consoles and any device with a web browser.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Bakole-Ajagba: Will either fighter join the ranks of great gatekeepers in the heavyweight division?
You never know how well a fighter will deal with a proper punch until they hear the bell for the first time. Likewise, you never know how far they can go until they have been properly tested. Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba go head-to-head on the undercard of Canelo-Scull this Saturday, May 3, with both fighters in top-10 contention in the IBF's rankings. While a win would further either boxer's career, a loss could spell an end to their hopes of becoming world champions. As we have seen over the years, boxers unable to win a world title often take up a role of gatekeeper and up becoming a testing ground for other fighters. With the prospect of another being formed this weekend, we have taken a look at some of the most notable gatekeepers over the years in the heavyweight division. Derek Chisora (36-13) Some gatekeepers are tasked with testing prospects and newcomers to a division; others separate the contenders from the pretenders. For the best part of the 2010s, Chisora served as a litmus test for potential heavyweight contenders. Tyson Fury, David Haye, Joseph Parker, Oleksandr Usyk, and Vitali Klitschko are all world champions that have defeated Derek Chisora. Meanwhile, none of the 34 different foes Chisora has vanquished have gone on to earn a title at world level. Even into his 40s, Chisora is filtering out potential champions with his gruelling battling style and high-pressure approach. Mariusz Wach (38-12) Gatekeepers do not enter the sport with hopes of becoming a barometer for other fighters' success. Pole Mariusz Wach had 27 wins in the first seven years of his career, setting up a shot at Wladimir Klitschko for the IBF and WBO world heavyweight titles. Wach took Klitschko the full distance, but there was little arguing with the Ukrainian's unanimous decision victory. Whilst there were attempts to bounce back, Wach found himself stopped by Alexander Povetkin in 2015, shutting down his chances of contending for world honours. There are some notable names out of Wach's 12 losses. Jarrell Miller, Martin Bakole, and Dillian Whyte defeated the Pole towards the end of the last decade, whilst rising British prospects Frazer Clarke and Moses Itauma have been victorious over Wach in the past two years. After harbouring his own ambitions of becoming a world champion, Wach has seen himself become a checkpoint separating hopefuls from contenders in the heavyweight division. George Chuvalo (73-18-2) The notion of a gatekeeper has long existed in the sport of boxing. Canadian legend George Chuvalo shared a ring with many of boxing's most famous names during the 1960s and 1970s. He was twice defeated by Muhammad Ali, whilst George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and Floyd Paterson all had to get through the Toronto-born man. A top 10 contender in his own right for many years of his career, Chuvalo would never become world champion – a fate he also denied for other boxers. Contenders such as Jerry Quarry and Doug Jones failed to come through Chuvalo. Kevin Johnson (36-22-2) In a 20-year-long career, Kevin Johnson contested 60 bouts, one of which was for a world title. Just like fellow gatekeepers Derek Chisora and Mariusz Wach, Johnson was given a shot at a Klitschko brother after a lengthy unbeaten start to his career. Vitali Klitschko sent Johnson packing in 2009, defending his WBC title, and whilst Johnson would share the ring with some big names, he would never fight for a strap at the global level again. Coincidentally, Johnson fought both Chisora and Wach – losing to both fighters. Nowadays, the Russian resident Johnson can sometimes be seen on cards in Eastern Europe, Germany, and Russia, losing on points to up-and-coming fighters. Losses to Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, Joseph Parker, Andy Ruiz, Daniel Dubois, Martin Bakole, Filip Hrgovic, and Kubrat Pulev highlight that whilst Johnson was outclassed by future world champions, he also could be bypassed by title hopefuls that would prove to fall short of securing the biggest belts. Dorian Darch (12-12-1) Before a boxer can even think about world title fights, they have to get a few wins under their belts. Facing journeymen with losing records early on in a prospect's career is a common occurrence; but at some point the training wheels have to come off. Dorian Darch was Britain's choice to test heavyweights coming through the ranks; Anthony Joshua, Daniel Dubois, Hughie Fury, and Dave Allen have all defeated the Welshman. Whilst beating Darch is no indication that a fighter will go on to compete at the top of the heavyweight division, it does serve as a milestone for prospects to pass on their evolution to contenders. Watch Saúl 'Canelo' Álvarez's historic night in Riyadh against William Scull exclusively on DAZN PPV. The PPV cost is $59.99 US; £/€21.99 UK/IRE; $24.99 ROW. Check price in your country here. Watch on any device via the DAZN app, including Smart TV's, smartphones, tablets; streaming devices, games consoles and any device with a web browser.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
‘Not happening' – Moses Itauma next fight decision made moments after undefeated Brit's latest brutal KO
MOSES ITAUMA has had a major step up in competition ruled out as his next opponent. The Chatam clubber continued his surge up the heavyweight ranks in Glasgow on Saturday night with a blistering second-round KO of Mike Balogun. 4 4 4 Itauma dropped the American three times as he stretched his perfect record to 12-0, with ten of those wins coming via knockout. Boxing fans are keen for the 20-year-old to take a step up in calibre of opponent, with Congolese-born Scot Martin Bakole being touted as an ideal opponent. But Itauma promoter Frank Warren insists Bakole, who was blown out of the water in his short-notice showdown with Joseph Parker in February, isn't in the running to face the prospect. When asked if the 31-year-old could face Itauma next, Warren told Queensberry Promotion's YouTube channel: 'No! "Bakole's got to be able to get himself in shape, the state of him, not happening.' Bakole was ringside for Itauma's battering of Balogun and had some choice words for the slick southpaw. He said: "Moses has got a beautiful career before him. I want him to build up his career. "But big Martin Bakole, [right] now, I think it is too early for him. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 4 "I want him to work hard and maybe be a world champion tomorrow. "But I don't want him to pick me now because he'd be making a big mistake. "He's playing with the fire. [But] he's a man. If he thinks he can handle me, I'm open to it." Itauma said of his latest demolition job: "I appreciate Mike Balogun, he is one tough cookie. 'I couldn't believe he got up from the second one. "Thanks to Mike Balogun for taking the fight, because nobody else would. "I don't have to worry about doing rounds, but my team wants to see me in a 10-rounder. "And then I want in with the big dogs."
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘Not happening' – Moses Itauma next fight decision made moments after undefeated Brit's latest brutal KO
MOSES ITAUMA has had a major step up in competition ruled out as his next opponent. The Chatam clubber continued his surge up the heavyweight ranks in Glasgow on Saturday night with a 4 Moses Itauma blew Mike Balogun out of the water in the Glasgow clash Credit: PA 4 Boxing fans are keen on seeing the Chatam clubber take on Martin Bakole next Credit: PA 4 Promoter Frank Warren has ruled out the prospect of Itauma fighting Bakole next Credit: Getty Itauma dropped the American three times as he stretched his perfect record to 12-0, with ten of those wins coming via knockout. Boxing fans are keen for the 20-year-old to take a step up in calibre of opponent, with Congolese-born Scot Martin Bakole being touted as an ideal opponent. But Itauma promoter When asked if the 31-year-old could face Itauma next, Warren told READ MORE ON ITAUMA "Bakole's got to be able to get himself in shape, the state of him, not happening.' Bakole was ringside for Itauma's battering of Balogun and had some choice words for the slick southpaw. He said: "Moses has got a beautiful career before him. I want him to build up his career. "But big Martin Bakole, [right] now, I think it is too early for him. Most read in Boxing JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 4 Martin Bakole has warned Moses Itauma he's too big a step up in opponent at this moment in time Credit: GETTY "I want him to work hard and maybe be a world champion tomorrow. "But I don't want him to pick me now because he'd be making a big mistake. Moses Itauma: Future Heavyweight King is on Track to Break Mike Tyson's Record I Contender Documentary "He's playing with the fire. [But] he's a man. If he thinks he can handle me, I'm open to it." Itauma said of his latest demolition job: "I appreciate Mike Balogun, he is one tough cookie. 'I couldn't believe he got up from the second one. "Thanks to Mike Balogun for taking the fight, because nobody else would. "I don't have to worry about doing rounds, but my team wants to see me in a 10-rounder. "And then I want in with the big dogs ."
