Jared Anderson vs Martin Bakole Aug 3rd on the Crawford vs Madrimov Card

Unbeaten heavyweight Jared “Real Big Baby” Anderson (17-0, 16 KOs) is set to face Martin Bakole (21-1, 15 KOs) at the highly anticipated August 13 Crawford-Madrimov event in Los Angeles. Anderson is currently ranked WBA #4, WBC #5, IBF #5, and WBA #13, while Bakole holds the positions of WBA #1, WBC #10, WBO #11, and IBF #14.

Once hailed as the future of the division for his rapid knockouts, Anderson's (17-0, 15 KOs) momentum has slowed over the past year due to underwhelming performances against Charles Martin and Ryad Merhy, as well as a few arrests for various driving offenses.

Similarly, Bakole (20-1, 15 KOs) faced a setback after a surprising stoppage loss to Michael Hunter in 2018. However, he has since bounced back with nine consecutive victories, including notable wins over Sergey Kuzmin and Tony Yoka. Despite his success, there are concerns about his weight, as he weighed nearly 300 pounds for his bout against Carlos Takam last October—about 25 pounds heavier than when he defeated Yoka two years prior and almost 50 pounds more than when he beat Kuzmin.

This matchup is highly anticipated, serving as a crucial test for the struggling Anderson and providing Bakole with a prime opportunity to re-enter the title scene after years of rebuilding.