Martin Bakole Ilunga vs. Michael Hunter & Lee McGregor vs. Thomas Essomba RBR.

Yeah I figured that would be the case with some having Bakole taking a few rounds. Hometown advantage in a 10 rounder is a recipe for a robbery.

 

He started using it again like nothing was wrong though

 

I thought he had it physically, the desire wasn't there to back it up though imo

 

I think the analysis and conclusions most of us reached for this fight was just then. You never know what a fighter who has shown a lot of promise will fair when they need to dig deep. Bakole answered that for us last night. Fair play to Hunter he's a decent contender at HW, although I still think he's a better fit for CW. If Usyk moved up to HW he would have a good shot at winning some straps down there.

 

This content is protected

Read Billy’s replies here. Martin has no dislocation or serious injury to his shoulder, it was just “sore”.

I told you guys. As someone who has experience with shoulder injuries I knew from the final round and at the end there was no serious injury.

Martin Bakole is a total shithouse with no heart. He wanted to quit and Billy did the right thing by telling him to continue because wrongfully the scorecards still had him in with a chance.

Bakole will never make it. If you want out from a sore shoulder you don’t have the mentality to make it to the top. Even Isaac Chamberlain went the distance and beat Wadi Camacho with a legit shoulder dislocation in a less meaningful fight.

No balls.

 

Unfortunately I'm the same. I've had shoulder problems and never expected the level of pain associated with it. I'm still paranoid about doing something that will cause it to reemerge.

I have some issues with Haye and his inactivity stints. But I give him respect for fighting on while injured.

 

I just watched the fight now and I saw that Bakole was mentally done and wanting to quit from round 6 onwards.

After that round Billy asked him something like “What the hell is going on?” As it was clear in that round Martin had mentally tapped out of the fight.

Suspicions that he was faking the seriousness of any shoulder injury were confirmed in the 10th when he was under pressure, and he threw it a few times and it looked fine.

Bakole looks horrendously mentally weak and he isn’t going to make it. If he carries on in the UK then I suspect he turns into a journeyman.

Rumours are that Billy Nelson has a room up for rent from tomorrow. Just in case anyone is interested?

 

Regardless, he wanted out, then after requesting to be retired was beaten up, took far too many punches and ultimately stopped.

I said last night, hindsight is a wonderful thing, if Bakole had gone and done a Danny Williams and stopped Hunter in the 10th then I would have logged in and praised Billy Nelson for great corner work and getting Bakole through it.

But it didn't happen and Bakole took a beating towards the end so I believe it is only fair to question the decision.

 

I don't believe it was shape but motivation...after round 6 you can see Bakoles trainer clearly pleading with him to throw more shots and hes not breathing heavy.

Also the work rate Hunter was throwing at is great for a Hw so not sure what ppl actually expect if they don't think his stamina isn't good, he also took very hard shots even if it was random.

Bakole actually hurt hunter at the end of round 7 a round he was getting busted up in...Very even fight up until the end ..really puzzles me what ppl are actually watching?

A good back and forth fight, should have known the more ppl cry the better the fight probably was as ive just seen it in its entirety...lol

Hunter IS a very underatted boxer but I don't have him in my top 20 prospect right now. Bakole had Hunter wobbled a few times ,Hunters work rate actually saved him with the experience combined.

These guys ( team Bakole certainly will kick themselves after watching this fight ) as ive mentioned they should have been more prepared. the round he dropps his right the entire round,he basically gave the round away.

The last round the trainer simply told him the pain will be far greater if you don't go....

This tells me they think hes winning..but......he still throws arm punches BUTTT..its close ..not a one sided fight( again not sure what these guys watch? )

He takes 15/18 punches in last round to the head including body shots in between.....

You cant question Bakoles heart that's still over a dozen unanswered punches....clearly this forum are a bunch of knobs who never laced them up...lol

 

I thought Hunter showed a good engine, not sure what some of y'all are talking about with Stamina issues. He was still putting punches together well and remained very active in the 9th and for the finish in the 10th.

 

Yeah I think people saying he was awful or hopeless are being harsh tbh. Granted that was first time I'd seen hunter fight and he looked pretty decent imo.the feeling I was left with after the fight was bakole could have won if he was able to up the work & punch rate....but it's coulds,ifs,buts now.

 

Check out Hunter vs Usyk you will see he's a very competent boxer playing the role of the puncher in that one vs the boxer .

Anyone saying either looked awful has never been in a gym before or theyre completely oblivious ,pick one ? lol

Both have a lot to work on,they haven't even had more then 16fights at HW.prior to this as usual nobody knows anything...lol

 

A good trainer knows his fighter well enough to know when he needs a push, imo Bakole needed a push. If hes faking an injury I don't think a good trainer would just pull him out, they would do their best to get their fighter through the rough parts, that's all Nelson was doing. A lot of respectable trainers would've gave him hell in the corner, even with his lacklustre performance on its own, let alone making stuff up to get out of it..Bakole wasn't even in serious trouble with his shoulder when he started complaining, he was just looking for the back door. The ref could've jumped in half a dozen punches sooner, but as far as Nelson's concerned, he called it right

 

I agree with you. I thought the trainer did his job. He pushed his fighter and it was ultimately up to Bakole to either give in or push on. To his credit, after some hesitation, he pushed on. To me that's a brave man, so all the people from the comfort of their armchair calling him a coward can kindly gtf. He was hurting, he was losing and he wanted to quit but with a bit of a push he kept on going. Guys who have won medals on battlefields sometimes needed similar encouragement. No shame in it for either man.

That said, I agree that the shoulder couldn't have been too serious. I've dislocated mine and besides the agony there was no raising the arm let alone throwing the punches Bakole managed towards the end. That doesn't mean it was in perfect nick however and maybe that was a contributing factor. In his mind it may have become worse as the fight was slipping away.

As it is the hype train is derailed but he can come again. With hindsight that wasn't a good pick for him. We've seen AJ struggle with the smaller man and its clear Bakole is not a fast or particularly skillful HW. He needs to fight some bigger slower less skillful guys and beat them soundly until his confidence and reputation are somewhat restored.

 

It was a crazy pick I agree, especially when he took rounds off Usyk..Thing is imo, Nelson and co haven't seen him in with anyone under the lights that's any good, and I bet all the stories of him being a killer in sparring are true, there is flashes of a strong beast of a man, even from Saturday night you could tell with more desire the outcome could very well have been totally different. So, I think throwing him in with Hunter was a gamble but when your level peggin with Joshua or very competitive and bossing other more recognised fighters in the gym, people will have confidence in you. I think Nelson like us, found something out about Bakole Saturday night and shouldn't be blamed