African heavyweight hopeful Martin Bakole Ilunga is gradually making a name for himself in the United Kingdom.
The 26-year-old from the DR Congo is the younger brother of former WBF, IBO Youth, WBC Silver and International cruiserweight champion Ilunga "Junior" Makabu.
Bakole will put his IBO Continental title on the line for the first time against David Jones of the UK at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on Saturday.
Now based in Scotland under top coach Billy Nelson, Makabu - who made his professional debut in South Africa under veteran trainer Harold Volbrecht in 2014 - won the IBO Continental title with a stunning first round knockout of Ali Baghouz in Edinburgh in November last year.
The victory, Bakole's eight in a foreign soil, was his seventh knockout win in 10 wins.
The last African to win a heavyweight title was Samuel "The Nigerian Nightmare" Peter who won the WBC belt in 2008.
Jones of Isle of Sheppey in Kent has eight wins against a loss and a draw.
He last fought in February, stopped by Daniel Dubois at York Hall, Bethnal Green, where Tshifhiwa Munyai dethroned the rising English star Martin Power as the Commonwealth bantamweight champion in 2006.
Bakole puts his IBO title on line
African heavyweight hopeful Martin Bakole Ilunga is gradually making a name for himself in the United Kingdom.
The 26-year-old from the DR Congo is the younger brother of former WBF, IBO Youth, WBC Silver and International cruiserweight champion Ilunga "Junior" Makabu.
Bakole will put his IBO Continental title on the line for the first time against David Jones of the UK at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on Saturday.
Now based in Scotland under top coach Billy Nelson, Makabu - who made his professional debut in South Africa under veteran trainer Harold Volbrecht in 2014 - won the IBO Continental title with a stunning first round knockout of Ali Baghouz in Edinburgh in November last year.
The victory, Bakole's eight in a foreign soil, was his seventh knockout win in 10 wins.
The last African to win a heavyweight title was Samuel "The Nigerian Nightmare" Peter who won the WBC belt in 2008.
Jones of Isle of Sheppey in Kent has eight wins against a loss and a draw.
He last fought in February, stopped by Daniel Dubois at York Hall, Bethnal Green, where Tshifhiwa Munyai dethroned the rising English star Martin Power as the Commonwealth bantamweight champion in 2006.