In the U.S. edition of Riyadh Season boxing that took place at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, the big 284-pound Martin Bakole pulled off the upset as he stopped Jared “Big Baby” Anderson (17-1, 15 KOs) in the fifth round.
Going into the heavyweight clash, the question was, is the 24-year-old Jared Anderson ready for a bout of this magnitude? The fight against Bakole was a big step up for Anderson, and apparently, the move was premature.
Jared Anderson came out in the first round using movement and changing levels with the jab. Martin Bakole was in a stationary position with his right hand cocked. In the final seconds of the opening round, Bakole landed a right uppercut followed by a three-punch combination that sent Anderson down to the canvas.
In the second round, Martin Bakole landed the uppercut once again, but Jared Anderson was able to land some solid power shots. Anderson focused on the body of Bakole in the third, but once again Bakole was able to connect with the uppercut.
Despite the fact that his opponent had a 32-pound weight advantage, Jared Anderson decided to stand in the pocket and exchange power shots with Martin Bakole in the fourth. Early in the fifth round, Jared Anderson landed a straight right hand.
Bakole landed a sneaky left uppercut in the fifth that sent Anderson down to the canvas for a second time. Anderson was able to get up, but he was floored for a third time when Bakole landed a hard right hand.
The referee gave Jared Anderson the opportunity to continue, and when the action resumed, Martin Bakole landed solid lefts and rights, which ultimately forced the referee to step in and put a halt to the contest. With the win, Martin Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs) won the WBO International heavyweight title.
Now the 31-year-old Congolese boxer Martin Bakole, who is one of the most avoided heavyweights in the world, is looking to capitalize off his big win by hopefully teaming up with Turki Alalshikh and receiving more lucrative opportunities in the near future.
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