Well-ranked world heavyweight contender Martin Bakole has sparred with both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk and has now shared his prediction for the pair’s undisputed fight, saying one ‘has everything’.
Bakole is set to appear on the undercard of Fury’s 10-round fight with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou this weekend.
He takes on tough Cameroonian-born Frenchman, Carlos Takam, and is never far away from a juicy sparring story: The Congolese heavyweight has recently claimed to have stopped both Daniel Dubois and Usyk in the gym, though both fighters have issued denials.
Official wins in the ring for Bakole have come against the likes of Tony Yoka, Kevin Johnson and most recently Ihor Shevadzutskyi back in April.
Maybe in lieu of the sparring stories, Bakole has often struggled to get any of the big names to face him but that changes this weekend when he takes on a man that has shared the ring with everyone from Derek Chisora to Anthony Joshua.
Ahead of that fight, he has told Seconds Out who he thinks will win the undisputed fight scheduled for December.
“I think Tyson is too good. He’s got everything that can stop Usyk, points or knockout. I think Tyson will win. I don’t think Usyk will win the fight. Tyson is moving, he’s not like Joshua, he’s got everything, he’s got movement, his fitness is fantastic. I don’t see Usyk winning the fight.”
Should Bakole get his win over Takam this weekend, he remains in the hunt for a shot at the WBA belt which may become vacant following the undisputed fight in December.