'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Congolese professional boxer Martin Bakole is one of the highly touted heavyweight contenders who has defeated several notable opponents so far. While Bakole is a promising name that may become a serious title contenders in the following years, he is not the only athlete from his family to create a niche for himself in the world of professional boxing.
Is Martin Bakole's brother a boxer?
Yes, Martin Bakole's brother, Ilunga Makabu, is a boxer. Makabu, born on Nov. 8, 1987, is Bakole's elder brother and competes in the cruiserweight division. As per Boxrec rankings, he is the No.31-ranked active cruiserweight in the world.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Makabu's professional boxing record, as of May 2025, stands at 30-4 (26 KO). The 37-year-old made his professional boxing debut with a first-round TKO loss against Khayeni Hlungwane on June 20, 2008. He then amassed a 19-fight win streak, defeating the likes of Thabiso Mchunu and Glen Johnson along the way.
Trending
After coming up short in his first title opportunity for the WBC cruiserweight title, Makabu won the vacant WBC cruiserweight title in January 2020 with a unanimous decision win over Michal Cieslak. While he was able to secure two title defences, the South African-Congolese fighter subsequently lost it to Badou Jack and failed to recapture the vacant strap against Noel Mikaelian.
In his last fight in December 2024, Makabu defeated Wagdy Attia to capture the WBC Africa cruiserweight title.
While the details of his personal life are not available in the public domain, online sources state that he shares a close personal relationship with Martin Bakole.
Ilunga Makabu is hopeful about the future of boxing in Africa
Ilunga Makabu was the special guest at the 2022 International Boxing Day celebration in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. While praising the International Boxing Association's efforts to promote boxing in the continent, Makabu thanked the African Boxing Confederation and DR Congo Boxing Federation to extending the invitation to him, and shared his thoughts on the future of boxing in his country and Africa, stating:
"I know that here, in my country, we have a lot of really talented athletes, and they can improve and show how good they are with proper support. I will personally support boxing in my country with my Foundation Junior Makabu and our Boxing Academy all around DR Congo. I’m confident that soon we will see a lot of boxing stars from Africa, and especially from my country who will shine bright at international tournaments. Let’s celebrate today the beginning of the new era of African boxing." [H/T iba.sport ]
