Is Martin Bakole The New Boogeyman At Heavyweight? (2024)

Things can change quickly in heavyweight boxing. It’s the land of the giants, where huge, powerful men throw punches, and nothing is certain.

For a good couple of years, Joe Joyce had built up a reputation as a real threat in the heavyweight division. He was the man to potentially topple the likes of Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury, and Anthony Joshua. Daniel Dubois was viewed as the future of the heavyweight division before Joyce’s ramrod jab closed Dubois’ eye and forced him to take a knee and force a stoppage. Joyce then brutally stopped Joseph Parker in a manner never previously inflicted upon the New Zealander, bearing in mind the former WBO world champion had previously shared the ring with the likes of Joshua, Andy Ruiz Jr., and Dillian Whyte. It was not just the men that Joyce was beating but the manner in which he was getting these wins.

Along the way, Joyce had built a reputation as a relentless, volume-punching giant with an iron jaw. He was being mentioned in conversations of all-time great chins. Zhilei Zhang viciously put an end to the “Indestructible chin” aura. Zhang had now inherited the boogeyman man role. The big China man was the real threat to the heavyweight elite and capable of defeating them all. Parker came along, survived two knockdowns, and out-boxed “Big Bang” Zhang to win a majority decision. Zhang rebounded with a stoppage win against a faded Deontay Wilder, but the Parker loss, with the questionable stamina and endurance Zhang showed not for the first time in his career, meant Zhang was no longer viewed as the boogeyman of the heavyweight division.

With Bakole, like Joyce a couple of years ago, it is not just the names that are being defeated but how he is disposing of them. Anderson was viewed not only as the future American heavyweight star but also possibly the future of the division as a whole, with tremendous star potential. Anderson was ready to take the baton from Wilder as America’s next great heavyweight. Bakole dropped Anderson three times to score a phenomenal technical knockout win. Bakole was allowed to fight a highly rated heavyweight and produced a sensational performance. The Congolese is looking like a nightmare proposition for any heavyweight on the planet right now. He is relentless, throws lots of punches with good punch selection, has heavy hands, a good chin, and a rangy jab.

Bakole is a man who consistently weighs in excess of 270 pounds, with heavy hands, drawing comparisons to George Foreman. Boxing is loaded with smoke and mirrors. It’s all about opinions, largely dictated by popularity and hearsay—the next great heavyweight star, Anderson, was supposed to be too talented for the unknown Bakole. At the grand arrivals, Anderson danced and grinned like victory was a formality.

At the moment, it is all potential. Bakole’s resume isn’t filled with top-quality names. Anderson was still an unproven quantity in his own right, who had fought through fire to squeeze past Charles Martin, who an old Luis Ortiz had recently stopped. Nevertheless, it’s about risk and reward in boxing, and the eye test does not make Bakole a worthwhile risk. He looks like a dangerous outing for any elite heavyweight, but he has no real following yet. Alalshaikh may have come around at the perfect time for Bakole. He may be what Bakole needs to be offered the openings that a heavyweight like him usually wouldn’t be granted. Those seismic purses offered by Alalshikh may be the incentive needed to get other top-quality heavyweights in the ring with Bakole, which is something that would not have happened three years ago.

His Excellency expressed a desire to match Bakole against Zhang in China in December. Not only would this be an extremely exciting, fan-friendly showdown, but it would also answer whether Bakole is the boogeyman of this heavyweight division. Bakole isn’t proven as an elite heavyweight yet. However, he may be the division’s biggest threat. The Anderson obliteration may have been the springboard his career needed. As is always the case, time will tell.

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