Martin Bakole made a splash in his American debut, knocking out rising star Jared Anderson. The 31-year-old heavyweight from Congo proved he's a force to be reckoned with in the division.
Bakole started strong, weathering Anderson's attacks in the first round. He then landed a heavy blow, sending Anderson to the canvas in the final seconds. Anderson bounced back, sticking and moving for the next few rounds.
The fifth round spelled the end for Anderson. He touched the canvas twice, prompting the referee to stop the fight. Anderson couldn't handle any more punishment.
This fight marked the biggest stage of Bakole's career. He got the chance to show what he could do beyond the sparring stories that have followed him.
"Bakole beats everybody other than Usyk and I," said Michael Hunter, the only man to defeat Bakole. "It was the best fight of the night, a beautiful performance."
Hunter, a former cruiserweight himself, ranks Anderson as the second-best American heavyweight. Bakole's win over him speaks volumes.
Bakole's reputation got a boost from claims he dropped and stopped Oleksandr Usyk in sparring. Usyk, the recent undisputed champion, told fans not to believe everything they hear.
Now, Bakole's future looks bright. He's got backing from Riyadh Season's Turki Alalshikh. Bakole wants a rematch with Hunter, but he'll likely face another active contender from the Saudi shows first.
Fans want to see Bakole take on Zhilei Zhang, the Chinese southpaw. It's a match-up that could further cement Bakole's place among the top heavyweights.
The heavyweight division is heating up. Many fighters can compete with Bakole, but the outcomes might be toss-ups. One thing's for sure: Bakole has proved he belongs in the conversation.
You can check out the fight highlights to see Bakole's impressive performance for yourself.
