Martin Bakole has shared the ring with both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, who rematch at the end of this month for heavyweight supremacy.
It was Usyk who came out on top of the first meeting back in May, winning a split decision on the cards after seriously wobbling Fury in the ninth round.
With the return fight now closing in, both men must prepare thoroughly. Speaking to Sky Sports, Bakole praised Fury’s work in past sparring, saying he is the only heavyweight who has impressed him in the gym.
“The only person I’m impressed with is Tyson Fury. He’s a big guy, he moves a lot. He moves his head.
“Usyk a little bit. Usyk I sparred in a small ring so I always gave him a hard time. Oh, if you could see his face when he sparred me, it’s focused. Because I gave him a hard time, under pressure all the time.
“Tyson Fury, we sparred in a big ring, relaxed, very good sparring to watch.”
Bakole – who is earning the tag of the most avoided man in the division – then said that he feels a focused Fury gets the knockout in the rematch.
“I was surprised [when Usyk beat Fury]. I was not only surprised by Usyk, I was surprised by Tyson Fury’s performance. He was playing.
“He was supposed to be focused like he was in the Deontay Wilder rematch. If he takes that mentality in the rematch I think he will stop Usyk like he did with Deontay. Because the Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury rematch, we saw a different Tyson Fury, focused, coming to win.”
“Putting his hands behind his back, not moving, that is showing that you’re not focused. One round changed everything. One left hook changed everything.
“I want him to be 100 per cent focused, not playing around. [Usyk] is coming 100 per cent focused to win the fight. So you need to be the same.”
The two elite heavyweights face off on December 21. As for Bakole, he awaits a date for an ordered bout against Efe Ajagba.
