Martin Bakole Promises To Knock Out Jared Anderson: ‘100 Percent Going To Happen’
Heavyweight contender Martin Bakole has said he is “100 percent” confident he will knock out Jared Anderson in their much-anticipated bout in Los Angeles on August 3.
Bakole (20-1-0 15 KO) and Anderson (17-0-0 15 KO) will fight on the best American card of the year as Riyadh Season makes its international debut at the BMO Stadium in L.A. Topping the bill is Terence Crawford’s bid to become a four-weight world champion against WBA super-welterweight title holder Israil Madrimov.
Also part of the stacked show will be Isaac ‘Pitbull’ Cruz in his first defense of the WBA super-welterweight title against Jose Valenzuela; former unified heavyweight world champion Andy Ruiz Jr against Jarrell ‘Big Baby’ Miller; David Morrell going for the vacant WBA light-heavyweight world title against Radivoje Kalajdzic; and fast-rising lightweight Andy Cruz, who faces Antonio Moran.
Perhaps the most intriguing fight of the night will be Bakole v Anderson. Here are two high-ranking heavyweight contenders with ambitions to challenge for world titles. The winner will take a significant step towards achieving that goal, while the loser faces a drop down the pecking order.
Anderson has been talked about as the next leading American heavyweight, with Tyson Fury even claiming the ‘Real Big Baby’ will be the division’s next great champion. Bakole, however, will be by far his biggest test; the Congolese fighter is coming off a fourth-round knockout of tough veteran Carlos Takam, and he has vowed to repeat the trick against Anderson.
“It is 100 percent going to happen. That is what I’m working hard to do. So that is what I have to do in America because I’m going fighting in America. I have to knock him out,” Bakole told Sky Sports.
“I will, 100 percent, believe me. I will push myself and do everything in my power to stop him. I have to do the business. That is the Martin Bakole mentality. Always go to win.
“He never fought someone at my level this is a big test,” Bakole added. “He’s got a champion’s mentality. I like that. I’m looking forward to see what he’s going to bring in the ring.”
Bakole is ranked as the No 1 challenger by the WBA and sixth by the WBC, so a win over Anderson would push him closer to a world title opportunity in 2025. Oleksandr Usyk currently holds both titles having beaten Fury in their historic undisputed bout in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in May. Usyk has since vacated the IBF title, which is now in the possession of Daniel Dubois, who makes his first defense against Anthony Joshua on September 21.
Bakole has sparred with many of the world’s top heavyweights and has even claimed that he knocked out both Usyk and Dubois. He insists that is why many of the division’s leading fighters are avoiding him, saying: “I think that’s why they are avoiding me because they can see it in the gym.
“Everyone is avoiding me, especially people I’ve been sparring with. The reason they’re avoiding me is I can come, I can punch back, I’m tough and I have championship mentality. I don’t give up easily.
“I went to Poland and knocked out Mariusz Wach, no one knocked him out like that before. I went to Paris and beat up Tony Yoka. I went to Saudi Arabia and stopped Takam – so everyone can see. I’m ready to take over.”
