Breaking
Tag

Martin Bakole

Browsing
BOXING

Why Anthony Joshua ‘Should Feel Ashamed of Himself,’ Rival Says

By
Anthony Joshua speeding

Rising heavyweight contender Martin Bakole has ripped into Anthony Joshua, challenged him to a boxing fight, and said he “should feel ashamed of himself” in a new video he posted on X, formerly Twitter.

Bakole put together one of the sport’s best wins in 2024 when he bruised, battered, and beat American heavyweight hope Jared Anderson in a one-sided demolition job in August. The fight was in the middle of Riyadh Season’s debut in the United States, and it has since been suggested that Bakole is now deserving of a bigger name opponent, on a more prominent spot on a big fight card.

Martin Bakole

JUST IN: Gervonta Davis Allegedly Chose Retirement Over Fighting the Next Face of Boxing

Now, Bakole appears to be making Joshua the desired big-name opponent for his next breakout fight.

Martin Bakole & Anthony Joshua’s pro records (as of 08/01/25)
Martin Bakole Anthony Joshua
Fights 22 32
Wins 21 28
Losses 1 4
Draws 0 0

Bakole’s beef with Joshua all began because the former two-time world heavyweight boxing champion said he tipped Efe Ajagba, who Bakole is linked with fighting in the coming months, to triumph in their prospective bout. It’s a prediction Bakole took umbrage with.

“Hey, Anthony Joshua this video is for you,” Bakole began his video. “I called [you] out, I wanted to knock you out, and now you’re saying Ajagba is going to beat me. Shame on you.”

“How many times did I call you out? How many times did I ask you to fight in Africa? You should feel ashamed of yourself.”

Bakole said: “I want to fight you.”

He then referenced a potential difference between them, regarding Daniel Dubois, who eviscerated Joshua in a beatdown for the ages last year. Dubois, Bakole says, is someone whom he scored significant damage over when they sparred in training.

“Look at Daniel Dubois – I broke his nose twice [in sparring] and he knocked you out cold,” Bakole said.

“I will knock you out in the first round.”

“You’re talking about Ajagba? Ajagba is a baby, wait till you see how I’m going to knock him out.”

Joshua is yet to respond.

Joshua wasn’t the only fighter to attract Bakole’s ire as, in a YouTube video on iFL TV, he pointed to other heavyweight contenders — Zhilei Zhang and Agib Kabayel — who he believes have avoided fighting him, to take on other bouts.

“I was supposed to fight Big Zhang or Kabayel,” Bakole told the channel. “I’m not surprised they’re scared, or fighting each other, in Rihyadh Season. So now I have Ajagba [in March or April].”

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

‘I Broke His Nose Twice’: Bakole accuse Anthony Joshua of ducking

By
Martin Bakole Anthony Joshua

Martin Bakole has bashed Anthony Joshua, accusing him of ducking. 

Bakole is considered one of the most dangerous boxers in the heavyweight division. He secured an upset win over Jared Anderson in his last fight. Anderson was considered as the future of the heavyweight division. But Bakole dropped him numerous times before getting a stoppage in the fifth. However, Bakole has struggled to get a big fight. He has called out Joshua on numerous occasions.

He said previously that he hurt Joshua while sparring. Meanwhile, the same was said when it came to Daniel Dubois. Now, Bakole has responded to AJ, who allegedly backed Efe Ajagba to beat Bakolie in their IBF title eliminator. Efe is 20-1-0 with 14 wins by knockout. His biggest win so far has arguably been Frank Sanchez. Bakole is his biggest test, raising questions over whether he can deliver. Bakole hit back at Joshua’s claims.

Bakole Threatens To End Joshua's Career - 'I Broke His Nose Twice'

JUST IN: Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua disagree as Deontay Wilder ‘prepares announcement’

“Hey, Anthony Joshua this video is for you. I called [you] out, I wanted to knock you out, and now you’re saying Ajagba is going to beat me. Shame on you. How many times did I call you out? How many times did I ask you to fight in Africa? You should feel ashamed of yourself. I want to fight you. Look at Daniel Dubois – I broke his nose twice [in sparring] and he knocked you out cold. I will knock you out in the first round. You’re talking about Ajagba? Ajagba is a baby, wait till you see how I’m going to knock him out,” Bakloe said

But Joshua’s focus is on facing Tyson Fury following the Dubois loss. Dubois dropped him three times on his way to a fifth-round stoppage. There were talks over a rematch, but it never happened. Dubois will now face Joseph Parker on February 22. A Joshua-Fury fight is the biggest bout out there, meaning Bakole may not get his shot.

Joshua will likely secure his career-highest purse for that fight, which could be his last. He also has more incentive to run things back with Dubois. Bakole does not offer Joshua any belts. But if Bakole becomes an interim champion for the IBF, he will be in a position to face Dubois. But for now, Joshua is eying Fury with a possible Dubois rematch. Eddie Hearn said as much.

“I think Tyson Fury is still potentially at the peak of his powers, just not good enough to be Oleksandr Usyk tonight. But for me, AJ against Fury is the one, it’s the one at Wembley, I’m going to be pushing His Excellency [Turki Alalshikh] to make the fight, but that’s maybe one for another day, tonight belongs to Oleksandr Usyk. But Fury will struggle with this, I think. All fighters do, AJ struggled with the Dubois defeat as well, you’re a winner and when you get beat it hurts and this will hurt Fury,” Hearn said

Keep Reading
By
BOXING

Is this the man to dethrone Usyk? ‘He would knock him out!

By
Oleksandr Usyk

Martin Bakole poses the most dangerous threat to Oleksandr Usyk and would knock out the unified world heavyweight champion, says trainer Billy Nelson. 

Usyk retained his WBO, WBA and WBC belts with another masterful performance to beat Tyson Fury via unanimous decision in the pair’s tense rematch in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.

Bakole (21-1) is meanwhile coming off his biggest statement display yet after flooring Jared Anderson three times on the way to a fifth-round knockout victory back in August.

The Only Man To Beat Martin Bakole Predicts Fight Against Usyk After Jared Anderson Knockout - Seconds Out

JUST IN: Gervonta Davis Shares Disappointing Post On Instagram, Then Deletes It

“I thought Usyk’s performance against Fury wasn’t quite as good or sharp as the first fight. I personally scored the fight a draw, it was very close,” Bakole’s trainer Nelson told Sky Sports.

“Giving either of the fighters four rounds on the scorecards was an injustice to the other boxer. I do believe Martin has got the skills and ability to dethrone Usyk.

“More importantly, I think Usyk and his team think Martin has got the ability to do it. They have shared a ring on quite a few occasions, namely in Ukraine and Dubai.

“The attributes Martin has got is unlike others; he will close the gap down against Usyk very quickly and set traps. I haven’t seen traps being set in his two fights against Tyson.”

Bakole was recently ordered to face Nigeria’s Efe Ajagba in order to determine the mandatory challenger to the IBF heavyweight title, currently held by Daniel Dubois.

Dubois, who knocked out Anthony Joshua in September, interrupted Usyk’s post-fight interview in the ring on Saturday night to demand a rematch against the Ukrainian after his ninth-round knockout defeat in August 2023.

Usyk has vowed to take a break in order to spend time with his family after his rematch victory over Fury, but seemingly has zero intention of walking away just yet despite cementing his legacy as one of the greatest heavyweights in history.

“You can rest assured that Usyk knows Martin is very dangerous, probably the most dangerous, guy out there,” said Nelson.

“I know Daniel has also said he wants to have the Usyk rematch; I don’t think anybody wants to see that because that was a domination.

“I believe Usyk won every single round against Dubois, even given that low blow, which was a low blow, the referee immediately said it was, so we don’t need to go there. He got beat, he got dropped twice and basically quit at the end of the fight.

“The best challenger out there for Oleksandr Usyk, who is a phenomenal fighter, would be Martin Bakole. I believe, and more importantly, Martin believes, he would knock him out.”

Keep Reading
By
Verified by MonsterInsights