Martin Bakole, the once-beaten Congolese-born heavyweight who is now based in Scotland, has emerged as the frontrunner to next fight WBC heavyweight champ Tyson Fury. Fans are well aware of the “trouble” Fury has had of getting himself a fight, these issues down to either Fury himself or down to all the top-15 guys being reluctant to fight Fury (take your pick).
Bob Arum has listed Bakole, and Agit Kabayel, as the two likely candidates as far as who Fury, who needs a fight, faces in the summer. While bookmakers William Hill have listed Bakole as their favourite to land the big fight. And Billy Nelson, who trains the big and strong Bakole, told Sky sports that his guy gives Fury “a harder fight than anyone else.”
Nelson says he would expect his fighter to get paid very little for the fight but that he would get the upset win and then make a real bundle in the rematch.
“Because of his commercial value, [Fury] would probably get Martin cheaper anybody else. But on the flipside of that he [Bakole] would probably give him a harder fight than anybody else as well. As long as we get paid fairly. Martin’s got a bit of a profile here. Tyson Fury would sell out Wembley fighting the guy in the local pub. We know he’s going to get the vast majority of the money. We beat him and then get five, six, seven times that in the rematch!”
Bakole, 19-1(14) is, according to promoter Ben Shalom, “the perfect opponent” for Fury – “[he] doesn’t cost the world but gives you a fight that you can sell.”
And, as thirsty as Fury’s fans are to see Tyson fight right now, it seems a Fury-Bakole clash would drum up interest and pull in a full house. And 30 year old Bakole, all 6’6” and around 270 pounds of him, can fight. Winner of his last eight, this after losing to Michael Hunter, Bakole would match Fury for size and physical strength. Bakole is hungry for a big chance, too. No disrespect to Kabayel, a good fighter, but if nobody else aside from he and Bakole are available, for whatever reason, then Bakole is the fight to make.
I don’t know about you, but I think Bakole gives Fury a hard night’s work. Beat him, maybe not, but test Fury for sure. Fury hasn’t got that much time if he wants to get a fight nailed down for the summertime.
![Trainer Nelson's Plan For Martin Bakole: “We Beat Fury And Then Get Five, Six, Seven Times More [Money] In Rematch!”](https://www.boxing247.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/RZESZOW-BAKOLI-SHEVADZUTSKIY24-Boxing-Photos-1-768x512.jpg "Photo: Trainer Nelson's Plan For Martin Bakole: “We Beat Fury And Then Get Five, Six, Seven Times More [Money] In Rematch!”")