Martin Bakole stuns Jared Anderson with fifth-round stoppage

LOS ANGELES — Martin Bakole likes to shout out, “I am the most avoided man in the world.” After he went through Jared Anderson on the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov WBA junior middleweight title undercard on Saturday, no one may doubt him. Bakole (21-1, 16 knockouts) pulled off a stunner at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, […]

The post Martin Bakole stuns Jared Anderson with fifth-round stoppage appeared first on The Ring.

LOS ANGELES — Martin Bakole likes to shout out, “I am the most avoided man in the world.”

After he went through Jared Anderson on the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov WBA junior middleweight title undercard on Saturday, no one may doubt him.

Bakole (21-1, 16 knockouts) pulled off a stunner at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, by stopping Anderson (17-1, 15 KOs) at 2:07 of the fifth round, sending Anderson down three times — once in the first and two more times in the fifth.

“I’m the most avoided man in the world,” Bakole declared afterward. “I planned it, I said it and I did it. This is what I am doing for my baby. This is what I am doing for my country, Congo, and Scotland. I told you from the beginning I am a machine. No one wants to fight me.”

At the outset, there was a discernable size difference; Bakole was wider and taller than Anderson. In the opening round, Anderson, who came in at a career-high 252.4 pounds and was under new trainer SugarHill Steward, picked and poked at the very stationary Bakole. Coming out in a southpaw stance, Anderson dropped shots to Bakole’s rather round body.

Then, with :09 left in the first, Bakole, who came in at a career-high 284.4 pounds, landed a right uppercut to the head, followed by a right to the jaw, a left hook and another right, sending Anderson down against the ropes.

It was the first time Anderson had been down in his career.

Anderson came out cautious in the second. Bakole kept landing the right uppercuts, followed by the left hooks. Anderson was retreating against the ropes but had little refuge there.

“We planned on [the uppercut],” Bakole said. “I am a little taller than him and I knew [the uppercut] would work.”

Anderson tried battling Bakole with fire against fire. Anderson did land flush rights to Bakole’s face, though he seemed to walk through them.

The third started like the second, with Anderson getting backed up by Bakole’s hammer right jab. With one minute left in the third, Bakole landed some thudding head shots. Anderson fought back in the final seconds of the round, countering with straight rights from the southpaw stance.

Anderson came out in a conventional stance in the fourth, careful with his distance. He went in and out, peppering Bakole with shots to the head. But each time Bakole landed, Anderson was jolted. Anderson then tried boxing Bakole but could not escape as Bakole leaned on his smaller opponent against the ropes.

By the fifth, the theme was simple: Anderson would try to outbox the plodding Bakole and Bakole would try to catch Anderson each time he neared. Then, with 1:41 left in the fifth, Bakole stunned Anderson with a left hook to the jaw, sending Anderson down a second time. Anderson folded into the ropes and tried to recover, but he was out on his feet.

Referee Jerry Cantu allowed Anderson to continue, though it was clear Anderson was out. Smelling blood, Bakole closed in and knocked Anderson down a third time with a straight right with 1:18 left in the fifth.

For a second time, Cantu allowed Anderson to get on his feet. This time, however, Anderson had nothing left. Bakole closed the fight by pummeling Anderson with a barrage of shots before Cantu stepped in and ended it at 2:07 of the fifth.

“I made some of the same mistakes I’ve been making,” Anderson said. “I did not come here to lose. I lost. I have to stop pulling back. I made the same mistakes. The worst thing I did was not listen to my corner. He was strong as s—t. I can’t be mad. I’m going home to my daughter.”

Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been working for Ring Magazine/RingTV.com since October 1997 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Follow @JSantoliquito

The post Martin Bakole stuns Jared Anderson with fifth-round stoppage appeared first on The Ring.