SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Jared Anderson’s ascent appears to be on the fast track.
The touted heavyweight contender Anderson (17-0, 15 KOs) will face Martin Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs) at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The fight will be featured on Riyadh Season’s debut event in the United States, and should Anderson get the win, the chances of him being featured on the Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury rematch in Saudi Arabia would be high.
“I have not been told anything, but I am gladly open to fighting on the [Dec. 21] card. I would love to be on that card,” Anderson told BoxingScene before he participated in a public workout at the Santa Monica Pier, steps away from the Pacific Ocean.
“Whoever comes next, just know that they have a real fighter on their hands and they better be prepared.”
Heavyweights Andy Ruiz Jr. and Jarrell Miller will also be featured on Saturday night’s showcase headlined by the fight between Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov.
If the former unified heavyweight champion Ruiz were to win and be presented to Anderson, “it will definitely get accepted if it's offered” said the 24-year-old from Toledo, Ohio.
Anderson realizes that he can’t get too ahead of himself because he was supposed to fight Deontay Wilder instead of Bakole this weekend but the former heavyweight champion suffered a knockout loss to Zhilei Zhang in June, and thus disrupted plans.
“[Missing out on the Wilder fight] did not affect [my preparation] at all [for Bakole]. It would have given my name recognition,” said Anderson. “No one was counting on Deontay looking the best when he fought me, regardless of him losing to Zhang.”
Although Wilder, 38, is a shell of himself and has lost four out of his last five fights, Anderson is still interested in fighting his countryman to establish an official change of guard.
“He's a name, and he's always going to bring his Bronze Bomber fans. As long as he's up to it, as long as the fans are up for it, I will gladly fight him and share the ring with him,” said Anderson.
“I think he's a legend, as far as holding a title and doing what he did as long as he did – especially for starting as late as he did. I respect him as a person and I respect him as a fighter. I would love to share the ring with him if possible. It would be a great thing for American boxing considering he was the American heavyweight for the last decade or so to really reign. If not, if he's retired, I'm more than happy to have him pass it on to me.”
Anderson is also ready to assist former Wilder adversary and conqueror Fury as he prepares to revive his career following his first career loss to Usyk in May.
“I thought Tyson had the fight in his hands and he let it slip because he had too much fun in the fight,” said Anderson. “I know he's going to come back and be 100 per cent locked in.”
Anderson is a former Fury sparring partner, and the Brit has previously praised “Big Baby” as the “heir of the throne” to the heavyweight division, predicting a title run by 2026 for the Toledo, Ohio native.
Anderson has no qualms about first assisting Fury prepare for Usyk, only to then fight him.
“I would be there on the first call [if Fury wanted me as a sparring partner],” said Anderson. “He could definitely be a future opponent – but for the right price. He's still a friend and kind of a big brother. I respect him, I love what he's doing, and he definitely puts his people on, in positions. I love that about him. And I would help him out any way that I could.”
Before Anderson can bait in bigger fish, he first must reel in the Congolese contender Bakole.
“He says he's going to knock me out and I can't wait to watch him try to prove it,” said Anderson.
“My hand will be raised by the end of the night.”
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