Could Jared Anderson be that torchbearer to finally bring back the heavyweight championship that has eluded American shores for the last few years? The Ohio-born Texan enters the ring again on August 3. On the opposite corner will be Martin Bakole. The two heavyweights will engage at the high-profile Terence Crawford–Israil Madrimov card in Los Angeles’ BMO stadium. Interestingly, the show features another heavyweight duel between former world champion Andy Ruiz Jr. and Jarrell Miller.

Anderson emerged successful against Ryad Merhy on April 13. However, Bakole seems to be the most formidable challenge he might face in his five-year career so far. The Congolese fighter, the younger brother of former cruiserweight champion Ilunga Makabu, last fought on the heavy-duty Tyson Fury–Francis Ngannou undercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Details regarding the number of rounds in the match remain scant. However, given that it’s not a title bout and based on the duo’s last fights, it’s safe to assume that the match could last ten rounds.

Jared Anderson vs. Martin Bakole: The Stats Battle

Born on November 16, 1999, Jared Anderson stands 6 feet, 4 inches, or 193 centimeters tall. The Congolese Bakole enjoys an edge in that sphere as he towers over the American by 2 inches. His height reads 6 feet and 6 inches, or 198 centimeters. There’s a slight problem with the hand reach, as details for Martin Bakole remain unavailable. Jared Anderson, on the other hand, has 78 1/2 inches, or 199 centimeters, of reach.

The final weigh-in for the boxers has yet to happen. Hence, it might be too speculative to comment on the boxers’ current weights. Otherwise, where Bakole stood at 299.4 pounds in his last fight against Carlos Takam, ‘The Real Bid Baby’ weighed around 250.9 pounds against the Belgian Merhy.

On paper, Jared Anderson’s record might come across as a notch above his opponent’s. Since making his professional debut on October 26, 2019, the American fighter has thus participated in 17 fights. He remains unbeaten, with 15 of his victories secured through early stoppages, thereby handing him a knockout-to-win rate of 88.24%.

However, it’s worth noting that Martin Bakole started his professional journey much earlier than Anderson. Beginning in 2014, in his decade-long career, the Kananga-born fighter, who turned 31 on June 1, has entered the ring 21 times. His first and only career loss thus far came six years ago when Michael Hunter knocked him during a regional title challenge. Otherwise, with 15 knockouts of the 20 wins, he enjoys a knockout-to-win rate of 75%.

Jared Anderson vs. Martin Bakole: The Soothsayer’s Gallery

The heavyweight division’s top slot narrative features Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, who are probably nearing the end of their glorious careers. Many feel Deontay Wilder is seemingly out of the race. So the foremost division of boxing needs new blood to infuse energy and continuity.

Both Jared Anderson and Martin Bakole rank among the top 15 contenders across the four sanctioning bodies. The latter is now number one on the WBA’s list, ranked above former world champion and star Anthony Joshua. But despite their presence in the higher echelons of heavyweight boxing, neither Anderson nor Bakole have fought against any of the top dogs of the division. So it is easy to say that the match is quite vital for both. A win over Bakole would enhance Jared Anderson’s rankings.

Speaking with Sky Sports, Scotland-residing Bakole brimmed with confidence about knocking out Jared Anderson. “I will, 100 percent, believe me. I will push myself and do everything in my power to stop him—that is the Martin Bakole mentality. Always go to win,” he said. But having said that, let’s not forget the kind of opposition both heavyweights have faced thus far. The biggest fight Bakole has had is against former challenger Carlos Takam. On Jared Anderson’s list, he can always boast of beating former world champion Charles Martin.

Needless to say, to many, the fight comes across as a 50/50 proposition. Coming to style, Anderson might make use of his jabs to create the distance between him and Bakole. It is a close-quarter fight that the latter might seek, given his power and physical advantages. Otherwise, the Congolese heavyweight would try to push the American boxer towards the ropes or towards the corner and then close the fight with power punches.

According to an update available on ‘martialbot.com’, Jared Anderson remains a favorite to win the fight by 51% against Martin Bakole’s 49%.

So are you also going to put your money on Jared Anderson, or do you think the Congolese heavyweight is capable of staging an upset on fight night?