Unbeaten heavyweight contender Jared Anderson is taking a risky fight against highly ranked Martin Bakole on August 3rd, battling on His Excellency Turki Alalshikh’s card at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
The 24-year-old Top Rank-promoted Jared Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) has fought no one near the level of Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs) during his five-year pro career, and he’s not looked particularly sharp in his recent wins over Ryad Merhy and Charles Martin.
Some believe that Top Rank’s decision to put Anderson against the shark Bakole is a sink-or-swim deal to see if he’s worth continuing to invest in his career.
If Anderson falls apart as soon as he fights for a world title, Top Rank should find out if he can handle it. The way that Anderson mentally crumbled in the later rounds against former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin last year wasn’t a good sign.
Anderson is ranked #4 WBO, #5 IBF, #6 WBC, and #13 WBA. Those rankings are the result of Anserson’s victories over these fighters:
– Ryad Merhy
– Andriy Rudenko: 40
– Charles Martin: 38
– George Arias
– Jerry Forrest
– Miljan Rovcanin
Those are not high-level heavyweights that Top Rank has matched Jared Anderson against, and it’s pretty clear that he’s been brought along in the same way Edgar Berlanga was when he was with the company. That’s why the Bakole is a huge risk for Anderson. This is a real fighter with actual talent, and he could finish what Charles Martin started when he hurt Jared twice in their clash on July 1, 2023.
Bakole is ranked #1 WBA, #7 WBC, #11 WBO and #14 IBF. He has notable wins over Carlos Takam, Tony Yoka, and Sergey Kuzmin. Those three heavyweights are far better than anyone on Jared Anderson’s five-year resume.
“This is dangerous match-making. Brilliant, by the way. As a fan, I don’t represent Martin Bakole or Jared Anderson. So, therefore, I love it,” said Eddie Hearn to Matchroom Boxing, talking about the August 3rd heavyweight fight between unbeaten Jared Anderson and Martin Bakole.
It’s a very risky fight for Jared Anderson to be taking, especially given the level of opposition that he’s been facing. It’s a monstrous step up in class for him, and there’s an excellent chance he’ll fail it.
His Excellency is likely paying Jared a ton of money to face Bakole, so it won’t be the end of the world if he loses. Anderson can cry his way to the bank and then try and pick up the pieces of his shattered career later.
“This is one of the fights on the card I cannot wait for. I think it’s a pure 50-50 heavyweight match-up,” said Hearn. “Jared Anderson, people are very high on him in the States. If you look at young heavyweight prospects coming through, he’s kind of like the pick of the bunch in terms of the American prospects that have already got a big name.”
Of all the fights on the August 3rd card, Anderson vs. Bakole is the one that is a true 50-50 match-up, and that’s what makes it exciting. The outcome will shape the careers of both fighters.
For Anderson, a knockout loss would be devastating for him, as he would find out what his proper level is, and he wouldn’t be happy about it. It would be good for Top Rank to find out if Anderson is the real deal.
If he’s victorious and looks outstanding in victory, promoter Bob Arum would have the guy that can take over after the aging crop of heavyweights retire. Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Oleksandr Usyk are all near the ends of their careers and fabulously wealthy. Anderson could be the guy who takes over for those older guys as the top heavyweight in the division.
“I know His Excellency is a big fan. Jared is an ambassador for the Riyadh season,” said Hearn. “I’m not sure this is good matchmaking. Martin Bakole, everybody knows, is a legitimate top-10 heavyweight.”
His Excellency may it wrong with Jared Anderson if he fails this test against Bakole, but it’ll still be dramatic to see the result. It’s that one fight that Anderson has been missing to show whether he’s the real deal or another manufactured fake contender created with the help of skillful matchmaking.
“There’s no doubt about it. If he’s fit and he has the [courage] for it, I think it’s a very tough night for Jared Anderson. It’s a very, very tough fight. It’s either brilliant matchmaking or a terrible mistake,” said Hearn.
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