“Bakole Dares Joshua: I’ll Knock Him Out In Front Of His Nigerian Fans!”

Congolese heavyweight boxer Martin Bakole has thrown down the gauntlet to British-Nigerian superstar Anthony Joshua, declaring that he would knock him out “without doubt” if the two meet in the ring — even before Joshua’s home crowd in Nigeria.

According to Ireporter Online, Bakole, who once sparred with Joshua, made the daring claim during an interview with Sky Sports. The 30-year-old fighter expressed his eagerness to face Joshua in what he described as a potential “Rumble in the Jungle II,” a modern recreation of the historic 1974 Muhammad Ali vs. George Foreman bout held in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“I’d take the fight with Anthony Joshua in a heartbeat. We’re both African fighters, and now we’re seeing boxing return to Africa,” Bakole said confidently. “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.”

Reports indicate that Joshua, a two-time world heavyweight champion, could make his long-awaited comeback in Nigeria early next year following his defeat to Daniel Dubois in September 2024 at Wembley Stadium. Promoters are reportedly exploring potential venues and opponents, with Bakole emerging as one of the top contenders.

Promoter Dr. Ezekiel Adamu, who recently co-organized the “Chaos in the Ring” event in Lagos alongside former world champion Amir Khan, confirmed that Bakole is on the shortlist of potential opponents for Joshua’s return bout.

“He is an option,” Adamu said. “We have several names under consideration, and we’re confident the final matchup will captivate the world and bring major excitement to Africa, especially Nigeria.”

Adamu emphasized that Nigeria’s vast population and economic strength make it the ideal location for such a high-profile fight, adding that the event would spotlight Africa’s growing influence in global boxing.

While Ghana had earlier been floated as a possible venue, recent developments suggest that Nigeria has taken the lead as the preferred destination for Joshua’s anticipated homecoming bout — a fight that could redefine African boxing history.