IN many ways, the cat has been flung out the bag when it comes to Martin Bakole’s career and, more importantly, his dwindling status as a heavyweight bogeyman.
Sure, the Congolese giant remains a fearsome operator, with his enormous frame and tremendous power keeping him firmly in the bracket of a dangerous puncher.
Beyond the impact of his shots, however, there is very little to write home about.
Most of the 33-year-old’s limitations were put on display last night, as his lacklustre performance against Efe Ajagba ultimately removed much of the allure surrounding his heavyweight credentials.
More often than not, Bakole, 21-2-1 (16 KOs), struggled to sustain his ferocious attacks and, as a result, allowed Ajagba, 20-1-1 (14 KOs), to build what most would have deemed a comfortable lead.
The fact that he came away with a controversial draw, meanwhile, was less a reflection on his ability as a fighter and more a result that largely flattered his performance.
Even when pinning his opponent up against the ropes, Bakole could only unleash so many shots before taking a moment to catch his breath, all while presenting Ajagba, the more athletic specimen, with ample opportunity to resume his seamless movement.
It is perhaps unsurprising, though, that a man who hit the scales at 299lbs – while hardly boasting a sculpted physique – possesses far from the most conditioned gas tank.
And yet, his questionable engine had little to no bearing on what proved to be a ruthless five-round demolition job against Jared Anderon last August.
Weighing nearly 15lbs less, Bakole was able to maintain his destructive power while, at the same time, keeping a degree of endurance – or at least, more than what he has displayed on two occasions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – in his back pocket.
But in last night’s all-African dustup, he should, in truth, have been handily punished for not turning up in peak physical shape.
Against a more accomplished contender than Ajagba, the outcome may have been different, not least more emphatic, in a fight that could have proved detrimental to Bakole’s career moving forward.
But instead, we are likely to hear further tales about this monstrous puncher, some of which graphically describing his knockouts behind closed doors, for at least a short while longer.
