Martin Bakole ‘swallowed wasp’ during knockout win on Fury vs Ngannou undercard

Bakole defeated Carlos Takam in Round 4 in Riyadh – but not before sustaining an unusual injury

Martin Bakole has revealed that he swallowed a wasp during his knockout win against Carlos Takam in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Bakole stopped Takam on the undercard of Tyson Fury’s narrow victory over Francis Ngannou, but the Congolese heavyweight has now said the win was not as straightforward as it seemed.

“I can’t believe it, I’m surprised. I’m still coughing until now,” Bakole told iFL TV after the fight.

“It stung me in the ring, then I was surprised it was in my mouth. It started from [my ear], went to my eyes, then I was surprised when I opened my mouth and it went in.

“I was vomiting in my changing room. I think it’s still here [in my throat], but I think I will be okay. I can feel it, it’s crazy. I think if it continues, I’ll just go to the hospital, because I can’t continue coughing like this.”

Bakole, 30, also called out Deontay Wilder, who has been in talks to box Anthony Joshua but without locking in a date.

“He’s No 1, I’m No 2, why not have the fight?” Bakole asked. “If he’s not ready, they should take him out of the rankings [...] I need that fight, maybe in December, maybe in January next year.”

Bakole sparred with Fury ahead of the Briton’s bout with Ngannou, who knocked down the “Gypsy King” before losing a controversial decision.

Cameroonian Ngannou, an MMA star and ex-UFC champion, was making his boxing debut against Fury, who stayed unbeaten with the result. Fury’s WBC heavyweight title was not on the line, however.

Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos.