WHEN Martin Bakole traveled to Paris, France last May to break 2016 Olympic champion Tony Yoka’s undefeated record, any post-match jubilation was somewhat tempered by the perception that the whole world now know how dangerous he is.
In other words, if he had been difficult to match before, and he, Bakole, when he defeated Yoka, knew it would now be nearly impossible to attract the heavyweights needed to secure paydays. the life-changing salary he’s had for years of pursuit.
And it’s been proven, too, with Bakole inactive since defeating Yoka and worse, a name rarely mentioned in a division known for its boxers calling each other to create momentum ahead of a potential skirmish.
According to his coach and manager, Billy Nelson, all Bakole wanted was an open door and a chance to shine. He received this in Paris last May and now, after having just signed with Boxxer and Sky Sports, another door has opened for a man accustomed to seeing them close in front of him.
“He was massively ignored for years,” Nelson told boxing news. “We are excited to be a part of Boxxer and the Sky platform. It is one of the largest in the world.
“I want to thank Ben Shalom and John Wischhusen for their support and belief in Martin. They could have invested their money in other British boxers, but they chose to invest a lot of money in Martin Bakole. They have the same belief with me that Martin Bakole will win the world heavyweight title – and possibly this year.”
While that may sound far-fetched, consider this: Nelson, Bakole’s number one supporter, has been saying it for years and insists that all his men need is opportunity. festival. Not only that, with Bakole currently ranked second by the World Boxing Association (WBA), he will most likely clash with Daniel Dubois, the WBA’s “regular” belt holder.
“With Martin having such a high ranking with the WBA, I fully expect a warm-up and then call a final knockout or a straight hit to Daniel Dubois,” Nelson said. “If that is offered to us now, we will receive it in a heartbeat. He is ready to fight anyone.
“They have fought many times and Daniel Dubois will tell you all about the dangers of Martin Bakole. Martin beats Daniel Dubois in every division and Daniel Dubois knows it too.
“At some point, he will have to fight him or give up the title. But giving up the title wouldn’t be a good look. Put yourself in Daniel’s shoes. If you give up the title, how long will it take him to return to that position? I mean, he was given the title from the very beginning. Let’s not go round and round. He was defeated by Joe Joyce and then he fought to be number one with the WBA. It’s great work by his management team and promoters, but fighting Trevor Bryant for a vacant title… my goodness.”
Bakole dominates Yoka (FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)
The plan at this stage is for Bakole, 18-1 (13), to have an adjusted match in April before moving towards WBA elimination in June. For Nelson it’s nice to have a plan, the big advantage so far of being affiliated with both Boxxer and the WBA is that Bakole was once guided about his destiny rather than having to rely on luck or the goodwill of his others. Patience, it seems, is starting to pay off.
“We had many opportunities and offers from advertisers, but we took our time and wanted to get it right,” said Nelson. “We may have had a few fights at the moment – we may have had a fight with Michael Hunter, who refused to fight a few times – and we should have fought on March 4th. but unfortunately Josh Taylor (host) was injured.
“To put it perfectly, it was a nightmare to meet his opponent. Why do nothing, and I mean Not available, of the British boys called him out? That’s because they all fought him.”
Again, as with Yoka’s victory in May, one could argue that Bakole’s problems have as much to do with his growing awareness of danger as anything else. After all, the key to a boxer’s success often has more to do with who they are. away fight with whom they choose to fight and furthermore, it becomes easier to avoid a fighter like Martin Bakole if the decision is collective; something that will promptly turn the dangerous person into anonymity.
“He’ll fight anyone but the business side of it has to suit Martin,” Nelson said. “We were going to fight Hrgovic a few times but I know what they offered and we got twice that amount fighting Yoka. Who will Friend battle?
“It has to make financial sense. I’m here to guide Martin as his manager and make him as much money as I can. This deal we’ve got with Sky, we’re so excited about it. He deserves it. He was a hard-working, clean family man who had moved thousands of miles from home to live in a small shanty village in Scotland.
“Also keep in mind that Martin has only had 31 fights in his life. It’s scary what he’s achieved in those battles. For example, Oleksandr Usyk, while a great boxer, has had more than 300 amateur fights.
“By the way, Martin will fight him anytime. Martin hurt him in the duel. Martin will fight whoever.”
Now, with the right background and spotlight for his talents, 29-year-old Martin Bakole finally finds himself able to take a few shots. Better yet, he’ll be seen and heard, which for the rest of the heavyweight class, so desperately wanting him delivered in the dark, is really bad news.
