Promoter Ben Shalmom states that his fighter, #4 IBF-ranked Martin Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs), is ready to be the opponent for IBF heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois (22-2, 21 KOs) to defend against on February 22nd in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua and his team have chosen not to take the rematch with Dubois in February, leaving the IBF champion in need of a challenger for his February 22nd defense.
The IBF has ordered Bakole to face #3 Agit Kabayel in a title eliminator to determine a mandatory for Dubois. However, Bakole is ready to go straight into the Dubois fight as the voluntary challenger if the champion is interested in facing him.
Joseph Parker has been mentioned as one of the potential opponents Dubois and his team are considering. He wouldn’t be as interesting an opponent for Dubois as Bakole, 31, because defending against Parker would involve a lot of chasing around the ring. Parker has become a defensive fighter and not fun to fight due to his movement.
“Martin Bakole is ready to face Daniel Dubois next. If they’re looking for an opponent for Daniel for February, Martin is ready to step in,” said Ben Shalom to Sky Sports News about his fighter, Martin Bakole, who is ready to challenge Daniel Dubois for his IBF heavyweight title on February 22nd.
Shalom feels that Bakole is ready to dethrone Dubois now if given the chance, as he’s got all the physical weapons on offense to win this fight. Bakole possesses the Foreman-esque explosive power that will give Dubois problems, and he can take his power shots.
He wouldn’t be on the defensive the way Joshua was on September 21st at Wembley Stadium. Dubois looked like a wolf chasing his prey that night, and he eventually caught up to Joshua to knock him out in the fifth round in front of 90,000+ fans.
The Congo-born Bakole has won ten consecutive fights since suffering his lone career defeat, a 10th-round knockout loss to Michael Hunter on October 13th, 2018. In Bakole’s last fight, he knocked out previously unbeaten American heavyweight Jared Anderson in the fifth round on August 3rd at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Bakole dropped Anderson once in round one and twice more in round five to get the knockout.
“He [Bakole] beats Daniel Dubois, and then he can unify the division. I’m not surprised AJ doesn’t want to fight him again next – but Martin Bakole is a different animal. He will be too strong and too skillful for Dubois.
Shalom says the plan is for Bakole to defeat IBF champion Dubois and then fight for the undisputed championship against whoever holds the other three belts. At this time, Oleksandr Usyk holds the other three belts.
Bakole’s previous fight was in Riyadh, where he knocked out former world title challenger Carlos Takam in the fourth round on October 28, 2023.
If Dubois chooses not to face Bakole next, the Congolese fighter will go ahead with his International Boxing Federation-ordered title eliminator against #3 Agit Kabayel. The winner of that fight would be the mandatory for Dubois.
Fans on social media believe Bakole is risky opponent for Dubois, because of his power, punch resistance, and experience. They feel that Dubois could lose. One poster on X pointed out that Bakole doesn’t need to “load up on shots” and he “punches very hard.” Where Joshua fell apart against Dubois was in the chin department, and was telegraphing his power shots. Bakole doesn’t do that.
Dubois’ promoters may not want to take a risk like this of matching him against a fighter like Bakole, as this guy has looked unbeatable in his last two fights. Of course, it would look good in the eyes of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh if Dubois were matched against Bakole. He likes to see great matchups.
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