Bakole has the stomach for big time

I HAVE watched with some interest the posturing in the heavyweight division as the contenders parade themselves in the hope of hitting the Anthony Joshua jackpot.

Neither WBO champion Joseph Parker nor former champion Tyson Fury can be accused of subtlety in their attempts to snare the IBF/WBA champion next year.

While Martin Bakole is not quite there yet, he is not far away and when he does step into world title contention I have no doubt he has the tools to succeed.

Bakole (below) is as old school as they come. He loves to fight, has a big heart, sound chin, heavy hands, and in the ring moves like a fighter. That kind of natural flow cannot be taught. He might not have Joshua’s muscular physique but he has the kind of instinct for the game that Joshua does not.

I was invited to take a look at Bakole by my old friend Billy Nelson, who has been training him in Scotland. His older brother Ilunga Makabu lost out to Tony Bellew in a three-round barnburner for the vacant WBC cruiserweight title last year, so I knew there was pedigree in the family.

Billy brought him down to Watford to spar. He had a stomach upset after eating an egg sandwich but he battled on for 10 rounds with three partners, including Dereck Chisora.

Despite vomiting between rounds, he was dominant, and persuaded me that he would be a real asset to the Cyclone stable.

I would argue he is one of the most naturally gifted heavyweights I have seen.

He made his debut as a Cyclone fighter in October and fought again on the Josh Taylor-miguel Vazquez undercard a fortnight ago.

Kamil Sokolowski took him the six-round distance at London’s York Hall but in Edinburgh he went through the previously unbeaten Ali Baghouz inside a round.

I love the way he shifts through the gears. You think nothing is happening then he steps in off the jab and fires off a series of combinations and wicked uppercuts.

The plan is to keep him busy next year then take on the big names in 2019.

Take Joshua and Deontay Wilder out of it and the heavyweight division is wide open, perfect for a hungry, unbeaten 26-year-old standing 6ft 6in tall.