Tyson Fury is on the search for an opponent to top the bill of a summer showdown – and he may have just found his man.
‘The Gypsy King’ took to social media today, telling fans he was desperate to fight and challenging his promoter, Frank Warren, to make it happen.
With the very top dogs in the division – Fury included – all expected to be fighting in Saudi Arabia at the end of the year, he must look further down the rankings for a dance partner in the interim.
After both Andy Ruiz Jr and Zhilei Zhang were ruled out, there are no clear frontrunners to challenge for Fury’s WBC Heavyweight title.
But his call has been answered by one Martin Bakole. The Congo-born fighter boxing out of Scotland – who was recently branded ‘the most avoided heavyweight’ by his new promoter – responded via Twitter to say he was ready to go.
“Hey Tyson Fury – I heard that you’re looking for an opponent. I’m available. Give my team a call. I’m number 7 WBC, number 2 WBA. I’m ready.”
Ready to go @Tyson_Fury 📞 @SkySportsBoxing@L2Box1@boxxerpic.twitter.com/gqDgOmeuVs
— Martin Bakole (@MartinBakole01) May 18, 2023
Bakole has recently signed a deal with BOXXER and Sky Sports, and marked that with a third round stoppage of Ihor Shevadzutskyi in Poland.
He’s made the headlines this year for telling gym tales, claiming to have stopped both Oleksandr Usyk – the division’s other champion and the man Fury is expected to face at the end of the year – and Daniel Dubois in sparring.
With a record of 19-1 and coming off a good victory over standout amateur, Tony Yoka, last year, Bakole fits the bill for a respectable title defence on Fury’s part, especially given the fact that many others in the division are spoken for.