Martin Bakole faces Frenchman Tony Yoka on January 15, 2022 in Paris. Discreet in the media, the 28-year-old Congolese boxer, 17th in the BoxRec heavyweight ranking, explains to RFI how this fight is important in his career.
This is the biggest challenge in the career of Tony Yoka, 2016 Olympic boxing champion. On January 15, 2022 in Paris, the French will face Martin Bakole, who replaces the Cameroonian Carlos Takam injured.
Bakole, 28, has seen others. In 17 professional fights (16 wins, 1 defeat), the one who lives and trains in Scotland has already challenged confirmed boxers like the American Michael Hunter in 2018 or the Russian Sergey Kuzmin in 2020. And he served as a sparring- partner to two of the stars of the discipline, Briton Anthony Joshua and Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk.
” Tony Yoka is a good boxer but I’m better than him, assures rfi.fr the native of Kananga (central DRC). I don’t think much about her “. His coach, Billy Nelson, estimated that Yoka has a good technique but still boxing like an amateur ? Bakole, he does not risk himself on this ground. ” This is the opinion of my coach, that, he evacuates. He already has 11 fights including 9 knockouts. It’s a good challenge for me “.
He just feels a little sympathy for the one whose father is a former Congolese boxer. ” He’s my brother, yes, and we’ll shake hands at the end of the fight. But all that matters to me is the fight », Warns Martin Bakole.
Recognized but not always known
Like Tony Yoka, Martin bakole struggling to climb in the hierarchy of heavyweights. He is 17th in the BoxRec ranking, while the tricolor is 19th. The best in the class tend to dodge these two. Because it is undoubtedly too risky and not yet profitable enough to meet them.
” Every fight in life matters a lot, says Bakole. This one is a real fight for me. I kept calling out the Tony Yoka, the Derek Chisora and even all the boxers who are better ranked than me. It will be a good fight for Tony and me “.
In any case, it should allow it to carve out a reputation for itself in new countries. Because the one who is the little brother of the WBC world cruiserweight champion, Junior Makabu, has certainly boxed in South Africa, Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Poland or the United Arab Emirates. But it remains relatively unknown to fans of Noble art in France. ” it does not surprise me, he emphasizes, in a mixture of French and English. Throughout my career, I have fought abroad. There were no supporters to support me “.
In the DRC, of course, he has his fans. But, obviously, we do not find them in the upper echelons of power. ” Since I started boxing, I have never had real support from my country, especially from the Ministry of Sports, says Martin Bakole. Not me anyway. They may have forgotten me “…
” I will be world champion “
Not serious. The 1 meter 98 guy is counting on him before counting on the support of his country to shine. ” It depends on my work above all, and my qualities, he says. I can promise you in any case that I will be world champion “. From 2022? ” I would be so happy, he enthuses. I think this year I will fight for a world title. It’s my dream anyway “. A victory against Tony Yoka will undoubtedly already open the doors of the World Top 15.