Martin Bakole has thrown his hat in the ring to face Anthony Joshua in Africa early next year.
AJ’s handlers are currently fielding offers from Ghana and Nigeria to host his next outing, which is expected to take place in either January or February.
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Bakole wants to fight Joshua in Africa next yearCredit: Getty
Discussions surrounding Joshua’s opponent are already underway, with promoter Eddie Hearn recently revealing that Africa’s two best heavyweights, Efe Ajagba and Bakole, are in the running to face his client.
Both men boxed to a majority draw in May and are eagerly awaiting big opportunities.
Bakole is very familiar with Joshua, having sparred him on multiple occasions.
There are conflicting accounts on what happened in the gym, but Bakole claims he ‘busted AJ up’.
Now, the heavy-handed fighter is hoping to prove he can do it under the bright lights.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the former boogeyman of the glamour division, said: “I’d take the fight with Anthony Joshua in a heartbeat.
“We are both African fighters, and now we’re seeing boxing come back to Africa.
“Anthony Joshua doesn’t want to fight me. He knows what happened in sparring.
“If we get in the ring, I’m going to knock him out. Without doubt.
“I’ll even knock him out in Nigeria, in front of his own crowd.
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Africa has a rich boxing history, topped by ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ between Ali and ForemanCredit: GETTYNever happening! Anthony Joshua urged to abandon comeback and retire from boxing by ex-world champion
“This is the fight to make. And we need to make it in Africa. It’ll be the Rumble in the Jungle II.”
African nations are looking to make major moves in boxing
Africa has played host to some blockbuster showdowns over the years.
None more so than the ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire back in 1974.
The contest, which Ali won via eighth-round knockout, was watched by an estimated one billion people worldwide and is one of the most culturally significant fights in the history of the sport.
Since that fateful night, major bouts on the continent have slowly dried up, with Hasim Rahman‘s stunning knockout win over Lennox Lewis 24 years ago in South Africa being the last major fight to fall on African shores.
That trend appears to be shifting, though, with Amir Khan Promotions beginning to make inroads into the African market.
Last month, highly-ranked cruiserweights Brandon Glanton and Marcus Browne headlined a card in Nigeria.
And there are now bigger plans afoot, with David Adeleye, Lawrence Okolie, Moses Itauma, and Joshua all being looked at as potential main eventers by the Western African country.