Fans are clamoring for Martin Bakole to step back into the ring as soon as possible, but whether he will find a suitable opponent remains uncertain.
The Congo-born heavyweight has long positioned himself as a formidable force in the division, though he hadn’t yet made a major statement on the grand stage. His reputation was largely built on sparring sessions where he reportedly caused trouble for his opponents.
That changed dramatically in August when Bakole faced off against the rising American star Jared Anderson. Bakole delivered a commanding performance, overwhelming the 24-year-old and securing a stoppage in the fifth round.
This performance demonstrated the skill and power Bakole has displayed in sparring against top heavyweights. As a result, he has been linked with a potential bout against Zhilei Zhang, a matchup that promises to be an electrifying contest.
However, Bakole has been vocal about his desire to fight Michael Hunter. In a recent interview with BOXXER, Bakole emphasized his eagerness for this showdown: “That’s not a fight, that’s a war, because I will smash him from the first round until the tenth round. If I knock him out, I’ll tell him to stand up. Keep going. Revenge. And then I will knock him out, round ten.”
The history between Bakole and Hunter adds a layer of intensity to this potential bout. Hunter remains the only fighter to have defeated Bakole, scoring a tenth-round stoppage victory in 2018 after Bakole suffered a shoulder injury in the eighth round.
Despite Bakole’s clear intention to seek revenge against Hunter, a rematch may not be on the immediate horizon. Hunter’s heavyweight career has stagnated recently, and his recent performances do not match Bakole’s current momentum. Instead, a major fight in Saudi Arabia against Zhang seems like a more probable and exciting prospect for the in-form Bakole, and fans are eagerly hoping to see that matchup materialize.