Martin Bakole marked in return to the ring after eleven months out with an impressive third-round stoppage of Ukranian Ihor Sevaszutski in Poland. The Scottish-based Congolese heavyweight, who has been dogged with inactivity following his impressive 2022 victory over 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Tony Yoka, stretches his record to nineteen wins against one sole defeat.
Sevaszutski, who was unbeaten as a professional (10-0) coming into the contest, offered little in competition, succumbing to a knockdown following a right uppercut in the second round following a tentative opening frame which saw Bakole pick off his Ukrainian counterpart. An attacking onslaught to the body ensured from Bakole and surprisingly, “Hulk” managed to see out the round without going down to the canvas again.
The end came on the forty-five-second mark of the third round with Bakole stepping on the gas pedal, leaving the Ukranian doing nothing more than just being target practice for Bakole. Ultimately referee Robert Gortat was left with little option but to wave off the contest.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Bakole pos-fight said: “I want Dillian Whyte, Daniel Dubois, Oleksandr Usyk. Why not? I call people out because I know I can stop them! I made a big statement tonight. I was the first guy to stop [Hulk]. This guy has never been stopped before, I was the first to stop him.”
Promoter Ben Shalom added: “Everyone in boxing knows how good this guy is and now we need to make sure he gets to mandatory so that people can’t keep avoiding him. He’s ready for the big fights and for me Deontay Wilder is the fight he should be getting next.
“If Usyk is facing Dubois next, then the thing that makes sense, according to the WBA rankings, I think, would be Bakole against Deontay Wilder. and we’re also interested in Dillian Whyte or Daniel Dubois.”
The action continued outside of the ring for Bakole as he and Dillian Whyte confronted each other with some choice words, with Whyte urging Bakole to come upstairs to where he was going and fight him. Bakole resisted the urge to follow Whyte and continued his respective raucous from a distance with trainer Billy Nelson accompanying him.
WOW 😳
— IFL TV (@IFLTV) April 22, 2023
Martin Bakole and Dillian Whyte nearly come to blows in Poland ‼️#DillianWhyte #MartinBakole pic.twitter.com/1KVaXEmf9X
