Martin Bakole has caught the eye of former cruiserweight world champion Johnny Nelson. The pundit believes Bakole could give top heavyweights a run for their money and maybe even knock them out.
Nelson's comments come after Bakole's impressive win over Jared Anderson. The Congolese-born Scottish boxer demolished the rising star in just five rounds.
"You could put him in with almost anybody," Nelson said. "I thought his hands were so loose. His style was very George Foreman-esque and he's so powerful. How he dismantled Anderson, you sat up and paid attention."
Nelson went on to compare Bakole's potential against the division's best:
"You try and create some sort of AI image of him against Usyk, him against Fury, him against AJ, him against Dubois – the names that are in the top ten and talked about by the public – and you actually see him giving them hellfire, if not knocking them out."
For a while now, rumors have swirled about Bakole's success in sparring sessions with top heavyweights. He's claimed to have stopped Daniel Dubois and Oleksandr Usyk, and hurt Anthony Joshua.
Nelson added: "If the gym rumors are to be believed, none of these people have denied it. They've not confirmed or denied it. So it makes you think there might be more truth in this."
The heavyweight landscape is busy right now. Oleksandr Usyk recently became the first undisputed heavyweight champion in over two decades by beating Tyson Fury. The two are set for a rematch in December.
This month, Anthony Joshua will fight Daniel Dubois for a vacant belt. If Joshua wins, he'll become a three-time world champion.
Other contenders like Zhilei Zhang, Joseph Parker, and Agit Kabayel are also in the mix. They'll be looking for world title shots in 2025 if the belts split up.
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As for Bakole, his next move will likely be a fight against one of these contenders. His ultimate goal? A world title shot of his own.