Martin Bakole is fast becoming the boogeyman of boxing’s prima donna division. Early in August, the 31-year-old Kananga-born heavyweight scored a sensational win over the much-fancied and unbeaten Jared Anderson. Speculations about his next outing have been rife ever since. There doesn’t seem to be any dearth of matchups. But the problem is most seemingly faltered before they could touch the finish line. Could it be because of Bakole’s recently developed fearsome reputation?

Reports suggest a face-off between Martin Bakole and Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba might be in the offing. The potential title eliminator to determine the challenger for Daniel Dubois‘ IBF championship follows the withdrawal of not one but two top-ranked contenders. First, IBF’s foremost challenger, Agit Kabayel, pulled out. Then news of a matchup against Zhilei Zhang emerged. But even the ‘Big Bang,’ reportedly fizzed out. It didn’t take much time before fans started sharing their thoughts on the latest development.

Martin Bakole vs. Efe Ajagba: A Matchup Out of Nowhere

So, per available information, IBF has now instructed Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba to settle the title eliminator conundrum. After Dubois, the champion, the top two slots of the sanctioning body’s rankings remain blank. Kabayel, Bakole, and Zhang occupy the third, fourth, and fifth positions, respectively. Ajagba holds the seventh position.

Before Zhang’s reported withdrawal became a reality, Ben Shalom, whose BOXXER promotes Martin Bakole, had an ominous observation. “Agit Kabayel pulled out of the purse bids. He didn’t want the fight. Zhilei Zhang has now been ordered. We expect him to turn the fight down too,” said Shalom while speaking with Sky Sports.

As far as physical attributes go, Efe Ajagba stands toe-to-toe with Martin Bakole. With a single loss to account for, even their records follow a similar pattern. The six-foot-six-inch-tall Ajagba successfully defended his WBC silver title against the emerging talent Guido Vianello in April this year.

Just too easy for Bakole

However, not many fans seem convinced by the heavyweight twist. Let’s check what some of them had to say.

This fan sounded apprehensive about the current lot of heavyweights. Barring a few exceptions, many lack the caliber to challenge Martin Bakole’s might. “I don’t see anybody beating Bakole except maybe Zhang, who could catch him. Or Parker/Dubois, who can get up off the canvas and still box their a** off,” they said, putting their trust in Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker’s durable chin and, of course, Zhilei Zhang, which might be a bit too late now.

The next one appeared certain that Martin Bakole would defeat Efe Ajagba. They said, “First Kabayel, Zhang now Ajagba. I hoped this fight sticks for Bakole. Bakole by knockout,” while hoping that Bakole gets third-time lucky with a matchup.

But the sheer disparity between Bakole and Ajagba seems to have put off the following fan. Though sure about the Congolese heavyweight delivering a sound drubbing, they couldn’t hide their disappointment. “What a mismatch. Bakole is going to school that boy,” the fan said.

“Bakole is the real dark horse of the division,” pointed out the next user. Like the previous fan, they too anticipate a victory for Bakole. “He’s going to knock Efe out too. But good luck to both,” they said. Decrying the Bakole-Ajagba matchup, the next follower also predicted Bakole winning by a clear margin. They said, “Nahhh, this is wrong! Bakole wins by kill.”

One thing appears certain: if it makes it through, the Bakole-Ajagba fight doesn’t look like a fight that will walk the whole distance.

Efe Ajagba, a 2015 African Games gold medalist, comes across as physically imposing. However, not much is known about his boxing skills. He struggled against the Vianello, who has been impressing crowds with his technical prowess. Nevertheless, the bout will be crucial for Martin Bakole. A win will put him directly in line to stake a claim to the championship title. So chances are he might follow the route he took for the Anderson fight, taking apart Ajagba round by round.

What is your take on the Bakole-Ajagba matchup? Do you feel Bakole should instead challenge Anthony Joshua?