Martin Bakole has a unique story to tell from sparring British heavyweight Anthony Joshua.
Bakole is considered by many to be the ‘most avoided’ heavyweight in the division, carrying dynamite in both hands and a really powerful style.
Instagram – Anthony JoshuaJoshua and Bakole have shared sparring rounds in the past[/caption]
The Congolese KO artist has yet to receive his flowers at world level in a big-name fight, despite mixing it with some of the best in the gym including Daniel Dubois and current champion Oleksandr Usyk, who he claims he knocked out.
One fight Bakole has always had his eye on in the professional ranks is British star Joshua, whom he sparred while AJ trained in Sheffield under the stewardship of Rob McCracken.
And when giving insight into his time he has already shared in the ring with Joshua, Bakole claims he rocked Joshua with his trademark left hand.
“Eddie was ringside in the gym in Sheffield when I was sparring Anthony Joshua,” he told talkSPORT.
“And he knows and sees what I did to Anthony Joshua. That is to this day why he doesn’t mention me.
“When I first came to the gym, six or seven people came to spar him and I gave him a hard time.
“The next day they took everyone out except me and Agit Kabayel, I came to spar him but I was surprised I was asked to do six rounds.
“The first round went nice, but AJ tried to knock me out but I was like ‘what the hell?’.
“So my coach said ‘show him’, and I caught him with a beautiful left hand. It shook his head and shook his legs.
“Everyone went quiet in the gym, I used the left hook yeah and people saw it.”
Bakole and Joshua have naturally been thrust into a potential showdown, with an event in Africa regularly teased.
The pair came face-to-face recently and teased a showdown, but they are currently on very different trajectories.
The Congolese star is set to return in a world title eliminator with Efe Ajagba in May as he looks to put his name in the mix.
While Joshua wanted to face Tyson Fury next, but the showdown is in jeopardy with the ‘Gypsy King’ having retired from the sport.
AJ hasn’t got a concrete plan for his next outing in a planned comeback after being brutally stopped by Dubois in September.
But promoter Eddie Hearn named Bakole on a list of alternative opponent options for his planned return.
“We are going to fight again whatever,” Hearn told Seconds Out.
“It’s not like ‘Oh if Fury doesn’t fight us and we don’t get Dubois, we are retiring’.
“AJ wants to fight and he’s still in love with the sport. I’m just telling you names now, whether they are a possibility I have no idea.
“Deontay Wilder, Dillian Whyte, Martin Bakole, [winner of] Dubois vs Parker, [winner of] Zhilei Zhang against Agit Kabayel.”
