Despite a recent tough loss by second-round stoppage to Joseph Parker, heavyweight Martin Bakole might still get a world title shot relatively soon, according to Boxxer promoter Ben Shalom.
Bakole, the powerful Congolese fighter, took the significant challenge against Parker (36-3, 24 KOs) on incredibly short notice (only two days) in February, showing great courage.
Predictably, the lack of preparation hurt the 33-year-old, and the normally fearsome puncher was knocked down shortly after the fight began.
Furthermore, Bakole`s scheduled fight against Efe Ajagba, which was originally an IBF final eliminator before the defeat to Parker, no longer carries that world title implication.
Nevertheless, Bakole and Ajagba are still preparing for their interesting bout this Saturday on the undercard of the Canelo Alvarez vs. William Scull event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ajagba (20-1, 14 KOs) recently won a split decision against Guido Vianello but hasn`t quite impressed since his 2021 loss to Frank Sanchez.
The IBF has since ordered a final eliminator between Sanchez and Filip Hrgovic, while Derek Chisora is the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois` title.
Despite Bakole (21-2, 16 KOs) losing his potential IBF title shot, his promoter, Ben Shalom, appears to have a plan moving forward.
If Bakole defeats Ajagba, Shalom suggests he could face either Kubrat Pulev, who is now over 40, or Michael Hunter, a more agile fighter who previously beat Bakole in 2018.
Quoting Shalom, he acknowledged the risk of taking the Parker fight on short notice:
“[Bakole] got offered a huge money fight against Joseph Parker, and we knew the ramifications of taking that fight. We still made sure that the Ajagba fight was on the same date, and that’s all we could do.”
He believes Bakole will need a couple of wins to regain an IBF position but is confident he will fight for a world title “very soon.”
Shalom emphasized the importance of activity, noting Bakole`s increased profile.
He mentioned looking for Bakole`s next fight possibly as early as July, benefiting from the current movement in the heavyweight division.
Shalom specifically highlighted potential “massive fights,” suggesting the Pulev bout and a rematch with Michael Hunter, calling the latter “really the only legitimate loss on his record.”
