Everything was going according to the plan. Or at least people thought it was. But things changed when Daniel Dubois pulled out of the match just 2 days before the IBF title showdown. The fight was originally planned between Joseph Parker and ‘the Dynamite’ in one of the undercard events of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol’s rematch in Riyadh. However, the fight couldn’t materialize as the IBF Heavyweight Champion was suddenly affected by a viral infection. And that led promoter Frank Warren to scramble at the last minute looking for an alternative.The search was finally over when the bogeyman of the heavyweight division, Martin Bakole, stepped forth. His 21-1 record already gives an idea of the power he will bring inside the ring. However, one might wonder who is Martin Bakole when he’s not wearing the gloves. So if you find yourself interested in getting to know about the personal stories of the underdogs, here’s everything you might like to read.What is Martin Bakole’s relationship status? Does he have kids?Even though the exact date of their wedding remains unknown, Martin Bakole is married to Dodie Kembia Bakole. As to what she does professionally, she currently helps run the Martin Bakolé Foundation. Recently the foundation donated a heavy sum to the non-profit ‘Maison Enrica’ to help improve the living conditions of children in Africa for which they were even honored by NGO Eurêka Soutient le Bonheur.She further posted a picture on Instagram stating, “We are determined to continue our mission .. to promote the happiness and well-being of the most vulnerable.” Along with that, she also runs a clothing line for children, Sulmikia Kids which she runs from their hometown of Airdrie, in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. His wife Dodie Bakole, due to her philanthropic contributions, even had the opportunity to meet the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Félix Tshisekedi. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Martin Bakole (@martin_bakole_)In addition to being philanthropists, the couple are also proud parents to their two children—an older son and a younger daughter.Martin Bakole’s background and early lifeWith only 1 defeat in his entire resume, the Congolese-born boxer is considered one of the most avoided fighters in the heavyweight division. What many may not know is that Martin Bakole is the younger brother of former cruiserweight world champion Ilungu Makabu. That might have helped Martin to secure knockout victories since he made his professional debut in March 2014. However, after spending some time in his native place Kananga, DRC, Martin Bakole decided to move out to Scotland in 2016. He now trains in Airdrie, under the guidance of renowned coach Billy Nelson.According to a report from bet365.com, Martin Bakole has reportedly sparred with top heavyweights like Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, and Oleksandr Usyk, with rumors suggesting he has performed well, contributing to his avoided status.MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM – 2 November 2019; Martin Bakole following his heavyweight bout against Rodney Hernandez at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. (Photo By Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)According to reports from bet365.com, he signed a multi-fight deal with BOXXER CEO Ben Shalom in February 2023. Since then, Martin Bakole only saw knockout victories over his formidable opponents. As of February 2025, he ranks 3rd in the IBF Heavyweight rankings. It was only last year that he earned the North American Boxing Federation Heavyweight title and the WBO International Heavyweight title in a knockout victory over Jared Anderson. And 5 months later, he now finds himself squaring off against the New Zealander Joseph Parker. However, this wasn’t how things were planned initially.After his last year’s victory, Martin Bakole was in talks for potential matchups against Zhilei Zhang and Agit Kabayel. Rumors also suggested that Bakole was being named as a potential opponent to face Nigerian powerhouse Efe Ajagba in May for the Dubois title eliminator. Quite big names, right? However, with the Parker matchup, Bakole has just bypassed the long route and arrived at the doors of the IBF title. With a victory over Joseph Parker, Bakole might just become the next fighter to get a shot at the IBF champion Daniel Dubois.With so much at stake, the 33-year-old will make sure the fight is worth watching for the combat sports fans. Do you believe Martin Bakole will emerge victorious?The post Is Martin Bakole Married or Single? Relationship Status, Wife, Kids & More appeared first on EssentiallySports.