New Heavyweight Threat: Martin Bakole Eyes 2025 World Title
The heavyweight division is primed for a shake-up in 2025, with the winner of the rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury likely to splinter the unified title. In the wake of this, contenders are scrambling for top positions, and one man is emerging as the frontrunner.
After Usyk dropped the IBF title post-undisputed win over Fury in May, Daniel Dubois was elevated to world champion. A few months later, Dubois defeated Anthony Joshua in a dominant performance at Wembley. Now, multiple challengers are eyeing vacant belts in the WBC, WBA, and WBO rankings.
Martin Bakole currently sits atop the WBA rankings, with Joseph Parker holding the WBO interim title and Agit Kabayel ranked #2 with the WBC. Bakole was set to face Kabayel in an IBF final eliminator, but Kabayel’s dramatic pullout from purse bids has altered the landscape.
Bakole’s trainer, Billy Nelson, revealed that Bakole will be upgraded from #4 to #1 in both the IBF and WBA rankings, making him a top contender in two major sanctioning bodies. If Bakole defeats Zhilei Zhang, he’s all but guaranteed a world title shot in 2025—whether that’s against Dubois for the IBF title or a potential WBA challenger remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, Mahmoud Charr holds the WBA (Regular) heavyweight title, potentially setting up a clash for a vacant WBA belt. Michael Hunter, the only fighter to have defeated Bakole, sits at #3 in the WBA rankings.
