WBA's Fight Night Twist: Bakole Scores Eliminator, Leaving Hunter Dazed

American boxer Michael Hunter was blindsided by the WBA's choice to toss an eliminator fight to Martin Bakole.

"Can't fathom how the WBA skipped my Hughie Fury eliminator and went with this," Hunter posted on Twitter, with a screenshot showing he was the top dog in the WBA heavyweight rankings before slipping from the top 5 after a ratings shuffle.

Note, it's been buzzing since January 16 that Martin Bakole's lined up for an eliminator, eyeing the championship belt.

In 2023, Hunter wasn't just shadowboxing; he took down Miguel Cubos with a 2nd-round technical knockout. Bakole, on the other hand, notched early wins against Igor Shevadzutskyi and Carlos Takam.

And here's a jab worth noting: Michael Hunter is the only pro to have put Martin Bakole on the canvas.