For French boxer Tony Yoka, a first defeat with professionals

The Parisian was beaten by the Congolese Martin Bakole. It was the first time that the tricolor heavy goods vehicle has faced a better classified boxer than it in the global hierarchy.

Le Monde with AFP

Tony Yoka knew that it was the most difficult fight of her career. Saturday, May 14, within the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, renamed Accor Arena, the French boxer underwent his first defeat with professionals against the Congolese Martin Bakole.

Contrary to his previous appearances in the ring, the Parisian, 15 global, was not the great favorite of the evening since he was opposed for the first time to a better classified opponent that him (13 e ). And he couldn’t do anything. “Today, Martin was stronger, I think everyone could see him,” said the heavyweight in the ring, under a few whistles from the spectators of Bercy.

The 2016 Olympic champion now has eleven victories for a defeat since his time with the pros in 2017. 2>

widely conducted at mid-combat points

From the first exchanges, Martin Bakole – who is him at 18 victories in 19 fights – made his power speak: at the end of the first round, Tony Yoka even knee. The Frenchman was counted, shook his head, then got up.

The debates were somewhat balanced later, but the Parisian always seemed in difficulty thereafter. It was widely carried out at the mid-combat points.

The Congolese, more massive but less mobile than the French, would he take the distance? If he seemed to show some signs of fatigue, especially in the 8 ^{e recovery, it is Tony Yoka who seemed completely exhausted in the last round.}

Under the eyes of the 9,000 spectators of Accor Arena, he could not rest on his technical palette against the Congolese, more aggressive, and bowed to the points, by shared decision of the judges (96 -92, 95-93, 94-94).

“It’s time to return to work”

With this first defeat, the French is undergoing a serious stop in his “conquest” towards the summits of world boxing and will now have to fight to find opponents allowing him to approach a global belt, his Obsession since the start of his career. “It’s time to go back to work, perhaps to change certain things,” analyzed the person concerned, world champion amateur in 2015.

At 28, Martin Bakole, the privileged sparring-share of the big names in the queen category, from the British Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury to the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, can knock on the door of the world gratin and quickly aim for the top 10 of the world rankings.