Promoter Ben Shalmom declares 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) on February 22 to defend. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Anthony Joshua and his team have opted out of the February rematch with Dubois, leaving the IBF champion in need of a challenger for his February 22 defence.
The IBF 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 if the voluntary challenger as 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 rushing around the ring. Parker became a defensive fighter and not fun to fight because of his movement.
“Martin Bakole is ready to meet Daniel Dubois next. If they are looking for an opponent for Daniel for February, Martin is ready to step in,” said Ben Shalom Sky Sports News about his fighter, Martin Bakole, who is set to challenge Daniel Dubois for his IBF heavyweight title on February 22.
Shalom feels that Bakole is ready to dethrone Dubois now if given the chance as he has all the physical weapons on offense to win this fight. Bakole possesses the Foreman-like explosiveness that will give Dubois trouble, and he can take his power shots.
He would not be on the defensive as Joshua was on September 21 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.
Congo-born Bakole has won ten straight fights since suffering his lone career loss, a 10th-round knockout loss to Michael Hunter on October 13, 2018. In Bakole’s last fight, he knocked out previously undefeated American heavyweight Jared Anderson in the fifth round on August 3 at 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 unite the division. I’m not surprised that AJ doesn’t want to fight him again next – but Martin Bakole is a different animal. He will be too strong and too skilled 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 continue his International Boxing Federation-ordered title eliminator against #3 Agit Kabayel. The winner of that fight would be the must for Dubois.
Fans on social media believe that Bakole is a risky opponent for Dubois because of his strength, punch resistance and experience. They feel that Dubois could lose. One poster up X pointed out that Bakole doesn’t need to “load up with shots” and he “hits really hard.” Where Joshua fell apart against Dubois was in the chin department and telegraphing his power shots. Bakole does not.
Dubois’ promoters might not want to take a risk like this to match him up against a fighter like Bakole as this guy has looked unbeatable in his last two fights. It will obviously look good in the eyes of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh if ​​Dubois is beaten against Bakole. He likes to see good matches.
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