HEAVYWEIGHT bogeyman Martin Bakole could lock horns with former two-time world champion Anthony Joshua in Africa later this year, says trainer Billy Nelson.
Bakole, 21-1 (16 KOs), comes off a destructive performance against Jared Anderson in August, flooring the highly-touted contender three times en route to a punishing fifth-round finish.
Since his stunning victory, the 33-year-old had been ordered to face fellow African puncher Efe Ajabga in a final eliminator for Daniel Dubois’ IBF strap.
The pair are slated to collide in May, appearing on the undercard of a double-header that is set to feature Ryan Garcia vs Rolando Romero and Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez.
But while Bakole is of course focused on his upcoming assignment, talks of a potential clash with Joshua, 28-4 (25 KOs), have seemingly stolen the headlines.
Since his devastating fifth-round stoppage defeat to Dubois in September, ‘AJ’ has expressed his desire to take on former lineal champion Tyson Fury in an all-British showdown.
However, with Fury announcing his retirement last month, it would appear that Joshua must now consider alternative opponents.
A dustup against Bakole, though, nonetheless represents a mouth-watering option for the 35-year-old, with both heavyweights having cemented themselves as household names in Africa.
Naturally, a win over Ajagba would put Bakole in pole position for a world title shot, meaning that he may target a fight against Dubois instead.
That said, the Congolese wrecking machine’s head coach, Nelson, believes that a homecoming could be in the works for October, regardless of whether the IBF belt is up for grabs.
“Once we take care of Efe Ajagba, we’re guaranteed a world title shot – and that’s what we’ve been striving for,” Nelson told Boxing News.
“You’ll see in May, Ajagba will get taken care of. He’s not got the IQ, punch variety or skill that Martin possesses.
“[The Joshua fight] wouldn’t be for the IBF belt unless Daniel Dubois vacates his title rather than fight Martin, which is a strong possibility.
“Failing that, Martin vs Anthony Joshua in Kinshasa, [Democratic Republic of the Congo], in October would be huge – an absolutely phenomenal fight for the continent of Africa.”
