Was Martin Bakole Punished For Beating Jared Anderson?

January 4, 2025
2 months
Was Martin Bakole Punished For Beating Jared Anderson?

Martin Bakole may have been punished for being too good after stopping Jared Anderson in a big upset. 

Bakole has become the boogeyman of the heavyweight division. He is 21-1-0, with 16 wins by knockout. He secured a massive win over Anderson in his last fight, stopping the rising star in the fifth round after dropping him numerous times. But at 33, time is of the essence when it comes to the big fights. Bakole has spoken about hurting Anthony Joshua in sparring, suggesting the latter is ducking him.

However, for all of Bakole’s recent success, he has not been awarded an appearance in Saudi Arabia. He is not the biggest name, but that is due to the reluctance of others to face him. Ben Shalom’s relationship with the Saudis has not yet changed that, with Matchroom and Queensbury being the two closest promotional outfits with the Kingdom. But Bakole has been left out in the cold, causing Paulie Malignaggi to respond. 

Malignaggi On Bakole

“You talk about the Jared Anderson-Bakole fight. That fight was about Jared Anderson. It ended up being a freebie for Martin Bakole. We can tell, looking at it in hindsight, that it wasn’t about Bakole because nobody brought Bakole back. I feel like he’s been treated unfairly. He should have been brought back.

“That was sort of a freebie for Jared Anderson that turned into a freebie for Bakole, and now he’s being punished for it. I feel that Bakole should be brought back. If you’re going to do this, there needs to be a standard set. There’s a lot of positives. I wouldn’t say it’s criticism. I’d say it’s constructive criticism in some ways because there’s so much to praise about what’s been going on there [Riyadh, Saudi Arabia],” Malignaggi said

What’s Next?

Bakole’s next opponent is not clear. There are a variety of boxers he could target. Joe Joyce is looking for a big 2025. He has been on a poor run of form, having lost three out of his last four fights. Two losses to Zhilei Zhang and a defeat to Derek Chisora has pushed him further down the pecking order. But a win over Bakole would be enough to put his name back in the conversation for the biggest fights. Meanwhile, a Bakole win would be a big name on his resume, even if Joyce is not in the best form. 

The other option is to target a bout with Deontay Wilder. The Bronze Bomber has lost his last two bouts. Defeats to Joseph Parker and Zhang led to calls for him to retire. But Malik Scott suggested that Wilder will return to the ring this year. A Bakole fight would be a mega clash, given both fighters’ ability to stop their man. Since Wilder has much to prove, a fight would test where Bakole is at. Bakole may need a few more statement wins before he is given the credit that is due. 

Find all the latest boxing news and MMA breaking updates on boxingnews.com.


THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING boxingnews.COM

TAGS
COMMENTS

RELATED NEWS