By Ian S Palmer
Veteran Carlos Takam of Cameroon takes on Martin Bakole of the Democratic Republic of the Congo this Saturday, October 28th. The 10-rounder from Saudi Arabia can be seen live on ESPN+ in America on the undercard of the Tyson Fury vs Francis Ngannou event while those in the UK can catch it on TNT Box Office and some nations can see it on DAZN pay-per-view. Bakole last fought in April he stopped Ihor Shevadzutskyi in the third round while Takam beat Tony Yoka via a 10-round split decision in his last outing in March.
The 30-year-old Bakole fights out of Airdrie, Scotland and is one of the new bigger breed of heavyweights at 6-feet-6-inches tall with a an unlisted reach. He owns an impressive mark of 19-1 with 14 Ko’s and possesses better-than-average average power as 73.7 per cent of his wins have come by stoppage. Bakole made his pro debut in 2014 and has boxed just 76 rounds since and is the younger brother of WBC Cruiserweight Champion Ilunga Makabu.
The lone defeat on Bakole’s record came at the hands of Michael Hunter by way of a 10th-round TKO in 2018 in a shot at the vacant IBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Crown. Bakole injured his right shoulder in that fight before it was halted. Since turning pro he’s captured the IBO Inter-Continental Heavyweight Title by beating Ali Baghouz by first-round KO and the vacant republic of Poland International Heavyweight title with an eighth-round stoppage of Mariusz Wach in 2019.
Bakole also beat Tony Yoka as he edged him by a 10-round majority decision in May, 2022. In addition, he has victories over veteran journeyman Kevin Johnson and beat Sergey Kuzmin via a 10-round unanimous decision for the vacant WBC International Heavyweight Belt in December, 2020. At this stage of his career, Bakole needs to step up the opposition but it’s fair to say that he and Takam are quite evenly matched in some regards.
Takam is now 42 years old and fought out of France for awhile but now resides in Henderson, Nevada. He made a name for himself in October, 2017 when he was stopped in 10 rounds by Anthony Joshua in an attempt to wrest the WBA, IBF and IBO heavyweight belts from him. He was then stopped by Dereck Chisora in the eighth round in his next outing nine months later for the vacant WBA International Heavyweight Title.
He’s boxed 265 rounds since his pro debut in 2005 and has built up a record of 40-7-1 with 28 Ko’s. Takam enjoyed a fine amateur career as he boxed at the 2004 Olympics for his homeland in Athens, Greece and competed at several major tournaments in Africa. Takam stands just over 6-feet-1-inch tall with an 80.5-inch reach which means he gives up 4.5-inches in height to Bakole. Takam also possesses pretty good power as 70 per cent of his victories have come by way of stoppage.
His other pro losses have come to Arslanbek Makhmudov by 10-round unanimous decision last year; to Joe Joyce by sixth-round TKO in 2021, to Alexander Povetkin by10th-round KO in 2014, an eight-round unanimous decision to Gregory Tony in 2009 and a close 12-round unanimous decision to Joseph Parker in May, 2016. His lone draw was a 10-round majority decision with Mike Perez in 2014. He’s been stopped in four of his seven defeats so doesn’t really have the greatest of chins in the division.
The biggest wins of Takam’s career have been over the likes of Jerry Forrest, Senad Gashi, Marcelo Luiz Nascimento, Franz Botha, Michael Sprott, Tony Thompson and Michael Grant. He stopped Marcin Rekowski in the fourth round in 2017 for the vacant IBF Inter-Continental Heavyweight Belt and his unanimous decision over Thompson was for the vacant WBC Silver Heavyweight Title. He stopped Grant in eight rounds for the WBF Heavyweight Strap in 2013, halted Botha in 11 rounds in 2012 for the vacant WBF International Title and is also a former WBO African Heavyweight champ.
Prediction…
Takam has the style, energy and power to cause some problems for Bakole but lacks size. I’m expecting him to give Bakole all he can handle but believe Bakole’s size and power will see him prevail in the end.
