Promoter Ben Shalmom says his boxer, Martin Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs), is ready to fight IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) in his defense on February 22. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua and his team chose not to attend a rematch with Dubois in February, leaving the IBF champion in need of a challenge to defend on February 22.
The IBF has ordered Bakole to face Agit Kabayel # 3 in a title eliminator to get a knockout of Dubois. However, Bakole is ready to go directly to the Dubois fight as a volunteer if the champion is interested in facing him.
Joseph Parker is mentioned as one of the players that Dubois and his team are considering. He won’t be interested in a Dubois representative like Bakole, 31, because defending Parker will involve a lot of chasing in the ring. Parker has become a defensive fighter and is not fun to fight because of his moves.
“Martin Bakole is ready to face Daniel Dubois next. If they want Daniel’s opponent in February, Martin is ready to step in,” Ben Shalom told Sky Sports News about the boxer, Martin Bakole, who is ready to challenge Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on February 22. .
Shalom feels that Bakole is ready to take down Dubois now if given the chance, as he has all the offensive weapons to win this fight. Bakole has Foreman-esque explosiveness that will give Dubois problems, and he can take his energy.
He wouldn’t be able to escape the way Joshua was on September 21 at Wembley Stadium. Dubois looked like a wolf chasing his prey that night, and he finally caught Joshua to knock him out in the fifth round in front of 90,000+ fans.
Congolese-born Bakole has won 10 fights in a row since the only loss of his career, a 10th round stoppage to Michael Hunter on October 13, 2018. In Bakole’s last fight, he knocked out undefeated American heavyweight Jared Anderson in the fifth round. on August 3 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Bakole knocked Anderson out once in the first round and twice more in the fifth round to earn a knockout.
“He [Bakole] beats Daniel Dubois, and is able to consolidate the division. I’m not surprised that AJ doesn’t want to fight him again next time – but Martin Bakole is a different animal. He will be much stronger and more skilled than Dubois.
Shalom says the plan is for Bakole to defeat the IBF champion Dubois and fight for the title that is not held by anyone or whoever holds the other three belts. At this time, Oleksandr Usyk holds three more belts.
Bakole’s previous fight was in Riyadh, where he knocked out former world champion Carlos Takam in the fourth round on October 28, 2023.
If Dubois chooses not to face Bakole next, the Congolese fighter will go on to finish his International Boxing Federation title against #3 Agit Kabayel. The winner of that fight will be a must for Dubois.
Fans on social media believe that Bakole is a dangerous opponent for Dubois, due to his strength, boxing resistance, and experience. They feel that Dubois may lose. Another poster on X pointed out that Bakole doesn’t need to “upload pictures” and “punches too hard.” Where Joshua parted ways with Dubois was in the chin department, and he was filming with a phone. Bakole does not do that.
Dubois’ promoters may not want to take the same risk of matching him with a fighter like Bakole, as the guy has looked undefeated in his last two fights. Indeed, it would look good in the eyes of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh if Dubois was compared to Bakole. He likes to see good encounters.
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