Oleksandr Usyk is undefeated in 22 fights, a two-weight undisputed champion and perhaps the best pound-for-pound boxer on the planet.
Having cleared out a tough cruiserweight division, the Ukrainian moved up to heavyweight and emulated Evander Holyfield in winning all the belts again.
No one has ever beaten him in the professional ranks, but popular British heavyweight Dave Allen thinks there is one man who could.
Speaking after the fight, Allen was full of praise for the Congolese heavyweight fighting out of Scotland.
“I think Martin Bakole is the best heavyweight in the world. I think he probably beats everybody. I’ve said this for a while. He’s so big, but he’s so fast. When he puts his shots together so well, there’s an aura about him as well. Jared Anderson is huge, 6ft4, 18 stone. Bakole made him look like a baby, look like a child.”
Allen also reflected on sparring with Bakole and pointed out his punch volume as a key asset.
“He weren’t that big back then, he’s put a lot of size on. He looks out of shape to be honest, he looked terrible in terms of his condition but he’s so relaxed. What I took away from it was that I couldn’t believe a man that size can put six or seven shots together. I’ve sparred Usyk, sparred Fury, and none of them can put shots together like that.”
He then dropped the bombshell that he thinks Bakole – who branded himself the most avoided man on the planet – could beat the former undisputed and current unified champion Usyk.
“Bakole would beat Usyk. I’ve no doubt in my mind, way too big. He’s all wrong for Usyk. The only people I can see giving him trouble is Zhang ’cause he’s as big as him, Fury and Joshua.”
Bakole has been vocal about what he wants next and one target is Zhang. Another is to avenge the sole loss he suffered at the hands of Michael Hunter back in 2018, while he will also be tempted by the winner of Anthony Joshua versus Daniel Dubois in September for the IBF world title.
