Former Martin Bakole victim Jared Anderson has spoken about what it was like to fight the Congolese heavyweight.
Anderson was a much-hyped fighter going into that contest with Bakole. At that stage, the Toledo native and Top Rank favourite had a high knockout radio having stopped 15 of his 17 opponents up to that point, which many people believed meant he looked destined to go to the very top.
However, disaster stuck on the night and he was knocked down by the older Bakole more than once on his way to a fifth round stoppage loss back in August of last year.
The win very much derailed his career but in February he managed to get back to winning ways with a points victory over 10 rounds, albeit against little-known opposition against Marios Kollias.
Bakole also returned to the ring in February when he stepped up as a last minute replacement for IBF champion Daniel Dubois against Joseph Parker.
He was brutally dealt with inside two rounds and knocked out in impressive fashion, though had not been in full camp when he took the fight which goes someway to mitigate the loss.
In a video shared by Top Rank Boxing, Anderson revealed what it was like to be hit by Bakole.
“Yeh, hell yeah, he was strong as f**k, I can’t complain.”
With his loss against Parker, Bakole lost his number one contender status but gets back in action on May 3. He will be taking on Efe Ajagba out in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on DAZN PPV.
