Tyson Fury sparring with Martin Bakole ahead of Dillian Whyte fight on April 23rd
Tyson Fury is sparring with Congolese heavyweight Martin Bakole ahead of his WBC Heavyweight Championship defense against Dillian Whyte on April 23. 'The Gypsy King' is stepping up his preparations for one of the biggest UK boxing fights in history, with over ninety thousand people expected to attend.
Check out Michael Benson's post:
Tyson Fury sparring with Martin Bakole ahead of the Dillian Whyte fight on April 23rd… https://t.co/zlC5kNJLyC
At 6'6, Bakole is of similar dimensions to the 6'4 Dillian Whyte but is a slightly bigger and taller version. The 28-year-old also has a similar style where he likes to throw a stiff jab and counter-punch. Now residing in Scotland, the man from Congo is preparing for his own fight when he takes on the undefeated Tony Yoka on May 14.
Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte were regular sparring partners many years ago when 'The Gypsy King' was trained by his uncle, Peter Fury. Whyte has previously stated that he has dropped his April opponent in sparring and got the better of him.
Here is an interview with Whyte from a couple of years ago:
So, by bringing Bakole into camp, Fury seeks to become accustomed to the fighter he will face at Wembley Stadium in a month. Curiously, 'The Body Snatcher' did not attend the recent press conference and has kept silent during the fight build-up so far.
Watch the full first press conference for Fury vs. Whyte:
Tyson Fury's Sparring - how do Dillian Whyte and Martin Bakole compare?
Bakole is less experienced than Whyte who has fought a range of top heavyweight contenders such as Anthony Joshua, Dereck Chisora, Joseph Parker, Oscar Rivas and Alexander Povetkin.
However, in only 18 bouts, Bakole has beaten experienced fighters like Mariusz Wach, Kevin Johnson and Sergey Kuzmin as well as being stopped in a competitive fight against Michael Hunter.
At 28 years old, the Congolese heavyweight is slightly fresher and has taken less punishment in his career too. It remains to be seen whether Bakole can beat Yoka and become a threat in the heavyweight division. For now, he might be the perfect sparring partner for Tyson Fury.
One punch that Bakole does not possess, though, is Whyte's devastating left hook. Fury and his team are aware that this punch has caused damage to a range of Whyte's opponents. On April 23 we will find out if 'The Gypsy King' will make the necessary adjustments and continue his dominance in the heavyweight divison.