Martin Bakole looked ready to break into the heavyweight elite after destroying Jared Anderson in August 2024. Two years later, Bakole has failed to build on that victory, with promoter Ben Shalom believing inactivity alongside poor conditioning is damaging his career.
Bakole weighed 284½ pounds when he stopped Anderson in five rounds at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. It was the win that finally gave him the recognition his supporters had demanded.
Things went downhill from there. Bakole weighed 310 pounds when he accepted a fight against Joseph Parker on two days’ notice in February 2025. Parker dropped him
