Bakole Predicts Fury KO in Rematch – “He Needs to Be 100% Focused”
Heavyweight contender Martin Bakole has recently shared insights into his sparring sessions with both Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk, shedding light on the upcoming rematch between the two boxing giants.
A Tale of Two Sparring Sessions
Bakole revealed that while both fighters are incredibly talented, Fury’s unique style and intensity set him apart. “The only person I’m impressed with is Tyson Fury. He’s a big guy; he moves a lot. He moves his head,” Bakole stated.
In contrast, Bakole described his sparring sessions with Usyk as intense and focused. “Usyk a little bit. Usyk sparred in a small ring, so I always gave him a hard time. Oh, if you could see his face when he sparred me, it’s focused. Because I gave him a hard time, under pressure all the time.”
A Bold Prediction
Based on his experiences, Bakole believes that a focused Fury could secure a knockout victory over Usyk. “I was surprised [when Usyk beat Fury]. I was not only surprised by Usyk; I was surprised by Tyson Fury’s performance. He was playing. He was supposed to be focused like he was in the Deontay Wilder rematch. If he takes that mentality in the rematch, I think he will stop Usyk like he did with Deontay.”
Bakole emphasized the importance of intensity and focus: “Putting his hands behind his back, not moving, that is showing that you’re not focused. One round changed everything. One left hook changed everything. I want him to be 100 percent focused, not playing around. [Usyk] is coming 100 percent focused to win the fight. So you need to be the same.”
As Fury and Usyk prepare for their highly anticipated rematch on December 21, Bakole’s prediction adds another layer of intrigue to the already electrifying fight. Meanwhile, Bakole himself awaits his next challenge, an ordered bout against Efe Ajagba.
With the return fight now closing in, both men must prepare thoroughly. Speaking to Sky Sports, Bakole praised Fury’s work in past sparring, saying he is the only heavyweight who has impressed him in the gym.
“The only person I’m impressed with is Tyson Fury. He’s a big guy, he moves a lot. He moves his head.
“Usyk a little bit. Usyk I sparred in a small ring so I always gave him a hard time. Oh, if you could see his face when he sparred me, it’s focused. Because I gave him a hard time, under pressure all the time.
“Tyson Fury, we sparred in a big ring, relaxed, very good sparring to watch.”
“I was surprised [when Usyk beat Fury]. I was not only surprised by Usyk; I was surprised by Tyson Fury’s performance. He was playing.
“He was supposed to be focused like he was in the Deontay Wilder rematch. If he takes that mentality in the rematch, I think he will stop Usyk like he did with Deontay. Because the Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury rematch, we saw a different Tyson Fury, focused, coming to win.”
“Putting his hands behind his back, not moving, that is showing that you’re not focused. One round changed everything. One left hook changed everything.
“I want him to be 100 percent focused, not playing around. [Usyk] is coming 100 percent focused to win the fight. So you need to be the same.”
