Tony Yoka upset

[Contendeh]

Very disappointing night for the Olympic gold medal winner to say the least.

[Cyclops]

I thought he'd win, but I'm not shocked by that performance at all. The guy has never looked like he actually liked fighting, has always looked kind of floppy and vulnerable, and has been on his toes and reluctant to engage any time I've seen him face any sort of attrition.

He fought like that in the Olympic final against Joyce, and it was only the lack of rounds that saved him. I didn't think it would be Bakole that got to him, but I figured someone would eventually.

Well done Martin Bakole!

[Mexi-Box]

I didn't know this fight took place. Huge win for Bakole.

[Finkel]

I thought he'd win, but I'm not shocked by that performance at all. The guy has never looked like he actually liked fighting, has always looked kind of floppy and vulnerable, and has been on his toes and reluctant to engage any time I've seen him face any sort of attrition.

He fought like that in the Olympic final against Joyce, and it was only the lack of rounds that saved him. I didn't think it would be Bakole that got to him, but I figured someone would eventually.

Well done Martin Bakole!

I agree with the point about attrition. I thought against Hammer his habit of going to the floor whenever Hammer leaned on him was not a good sign. He should have used that as a learning experience, not just keep dropping to the floor, safe in the knowledge fighting out of Paris he wouldn't need to work for the win.

Having said that I think he looked much improved against Milas. But he got swatted around the ring by Bakole this evening. I think this was his real step up fight.

Personally I think he can come again. This was only his 12th fight and hopefully he learns from it. But, talk of top 10 etc. and title eliminators was very premature for me. It kind of feels similar to how Warren was moving Dubois.

Hopefull Yoka stays active following this set back.

Interesting to see what is next for Bakole; he's a big unit and had his way with Yoka tonight. I suspect his open style might get punished as he steps up though. Then again, he didn't really have to keep much of a defensive construct against yoka tonight

[Rocky-]

Tony Yoka's stock crashed harder than Terra LUNA.

[ScotsCrime]

Another set of disgraceful scorecards.....Majority Decision?!? 96-92 95-93 94-94.

Bakole won every round!

Getting to the stage we should call every fight that goes the distance a no-contest.

[KiwiRider]

Not an upset at all.
They been protecting the guy for ages.
Look at who a former Gold medalist has fought over how many years as a pro?
Yeah, they knew he was suspect.
And they never signed up for the money fight with Joe Joyce.

[tiny_acres]

Not an upset at all.
They been protecting the guy for ages.
Look at who a former Gold medalist has fought over how many years as a pro?
Yeah, they knew he was suspect.
And they never signed up for the money fight with Joe Joyce.

X2

[JxhDel.]

Not an upset, Bakole has power and can move. His match against Kuzmin had unusual pace for heavies.

[Las Vegas boxing guy]

Another set of disgraceful scorecards.....Majority Decision?!? 96-92 95-93 94-94.

Bakole won every round!

These scorecards demonstrate the CRIMINAL CORRUPTION within the French Boxing Commission. Do not mistake this for "negligence", this is pure CORRUPTION that is plain for all to see.

[tiny_acres]

Another set of disgraceful scorecards.....Majority Decision?!? 96-92 95-93 94-94.

Bakole won every round!

These scorecards demonstrate the CRIMINAL CORRUPTION within the French Boxing Commission. Do not mistake this for "negligence", this is pure CORRUPTION that is plain for all to see.

You can skip the word French and put the word
ALL
Because all boxing commissions and organizations are corrupt. Everywhere around the world these types of scorecards are accepted.

[DrDuke]

Nice performance by Bakole. It looked like a heavyweight bullying a skinny and lengthy cruiser.

[Sammy Scaff]

I predicted that Bakole would win the fight but get effed over and like Bivol/Canelo it nearly happened.
Bakole is a decent fighter who just needs a few more smarts to be a challenge for anyone.
His defeat to Hunter is working to his advantage now.

[Lackeos]

Bakole looked like Luis Ortiz in that fight, with insane power, excellent combination punching, and really good extension on his punches. Despite Yoka's great height and good reach, there was nothing he could do to control Bakole, as Bakole could hit him from any range with nuts power, and Yoka hardly had the power to make Bakole think twice.

Whether this fight was an upset is debatable, considering that these two were ranked right next to each other on boxrec. It might be an upset from the perspective that Yoka was ordained to be possibly a future champ, and Bakole was thought to be more of a gatekeeper type.

If Bakole hadn't sustained a shoulder injury against Michael Hunter, the perception of him could be very different right now -- undefeated with wins over Hunter and Yoka, not to mention Kuzman.

[joshj909]

Bakole looked like Luis Ortiz in that fight, with insane power, excellent combination punching, and really good extension on his punches. Despite Yoka's great height and good reach, there was nothing he could do to control Bakole, as Bakole could hit him from any range with nuts power, and Yoka hardly had the power to make Bakole think twice.

Whether this fight was an upset is debatable, considering that these two were ranked right next to each other on boxrec. It might be an upset from the perspective that Yoka was ordained to be possibly a future champ, and Bakole was thought to be more of a gatekeeper type.

If Bakole hadn't sustained a shoulder injury against Michael Hunter, the perception of him could be very different right now -- undefeated with wins over Hunter and Yoka, not to mention Kuzman.

That injury propelled Hunter's HW career and set Bakole's back quite a bit. Without the injury it was definitely winnable for Bakole. He would be top 10 had it gone the other way.

[margaret thatcher]

bakole didnt get that injury until he was already well behind tbf, it was like the 8th or 9th round in a 10 round fight. we are hypothetical victory-ing him for a fight he'd nearly lost every round in till that point, with only a few rounds left

maybe it could've happened, i doubt it though. tbh he was pretty stinky in that fight and this seems like some generous revisionism

[adislav123]

Nice performance by Bakole. It looked like a heavyweight bullying a skinny and lengthy cruiser.

that's what it was.

yoka is a roided out cruiserweight giraffe. not enuff in whatever department (skill/fluidity/speed/power) for the real big boys.

he should get off the juice, learn how to pump out the jab with some steam behind it and try it at cruiser but even there are some guys who will just walk thru him.

I just don't get how anybody except his own team & family could've had him on a 'next champ' list.

[joshj909]

bakole didnt get that injury until he was already well behind tbf, we are hypothetical victory-ing him for a fight he'd nearly lost every round in till that point, with only a few rounds left

Bakole injured his shoulder in the 8th, he then lasted until the 10th (in a 10 round fight). Most fan cards had the scores about 2/3 rounds apart. I can't find the official cards though. It was not the one-sided fight you've just summarised...

[margaret thatcher]

hunter was in control, this is just some friendly revisionism. home commentary had it 88-83 hunter. the reaction on the night was mostly about how poor bakole did, almost entirely negative, and no one other than his own team was going on about him winning that if the shoulder held........until suddenly today when he looked good

i just dont buy it. he could probably win a rematch though

[Ruthless-RKO]

hunter was in control, this is just some friendly revisionism. home commentary had it 88-83 hunter. the reaction on the night was mostly about how poor bakole did, almost entirely negative, and no one other than his own team was going on about him winning that if the shoulder held........until suddenly today when he looked good

i just dont buy it. he could probably win a rematch though

Didn’t he injure his shoulder?

Not sure what round.

[Fightnight Scores]

I thought he'd win, but I'm not shocked by that performance at all. The guy has never looked like he actually liked fighting, has always looked kind of floppy and vulnerable, and has been on his toes and reluctant to engage any time I've seen him face any sort of attrition.

Have always been skeptical about his desire to be a boxer given how slowly he is going about things (noted it in the discussion about the state of the heavyweight division here: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=253860&p=5747407#p5747407), for a gold medal winning heavyweight.

This was his 12th fight in almost 5 years. Surely he isn't earning too much money either up until this point fighting gatekeepers and over the hill guys in France

You can skip the word French and put the word
ALL
Because all boxing commissions and organizations are corrupt. Everywhere around the world these types of scorecards are accepted.

This is the case! It happens everywhere. I wouldn't say it's accepted, more tolerated.
At LEAST the right man won this time around but it happens week in week out.

[mcrow24]

I never saw a fighter being more passive in a fight in my life.

I will give Bakole some credit, he has better hand speed than I thought he would have and overall technique is better than I thought. He definitely is the better of the two.

But Bakole walked forward hands around his waist the entire fight and Yoka basically just let him do it with little or no resistance. Granted, I have not seen a lot of Yoka's pro fights but man, how did this guy get any hype?

[pound per pound]

Another set of disgraceful scorecards.....Majority Decision?!? 96-92 95-93 94-94.

Bakole won every round!

Getting to the stage we should call every fight that goes the distance a no-contest.

The judging is a problem is the Rio Olympics and in this fight as being for Yoka. Box Rec should list and track the judges in these decisions same as in the Canelo fights.

[snake33]

Yoka is like de ja Audley all over again.

[tiny_acres]

Yoka is like de ja Audley all over again.

I predicted that Yoka would be the next Audley either on this forum or another and was told I was being to hard on the guy.
I still see him as a gatekeeper at best in his future