NOT since New York’s Ray Arcel and Panama’s Roberto Duran formed one of the most successful, if unlikely, trainer-fighter partnerships in the history of boxing back in the early 1970s has there been a trainer-fighter relationship quite like the one currently enjoyed by Billy Nelson and his heavyweight charge, Martin Bakole.

That boxing is a sport that transcends national, racial and cultural differences has never been more clearly illustrated when taking in hand the way that Nelson, a working-class son of Glasgow and Bakole, from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have gelled to the point where the latter is now being talked about as a future world champion.

His most recent outing at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles saw him completely dominate the highly rated and hitherto undefeated US prospect, Jared Anderson, on the way to an emphatic 5th round stoppage. The result is Bakole’s stock being significantly upped after many painstaking years of being avoided by the cream of the division.

The big African has excelled under Nelson in Glasgow, which for those within boxing will have come as no surprise. The veteran Scottish trainer has more than paid his dues in the one sport and business in which shortcuts are the devil’s work.

It seems like yesterday this writer was ringside when Ricky Burns was bestriding the sport as a two weight world champion with Nelson in his corner. That was over a decade ago now to thus confirm that Billy Nelson is a trainer who’s been operating at the highest level longer than most.

The two met completely by chance when Bakole came to Britain to support his elder sibling, Ilunga Makabu, in his cruiserweight clash with Tony Bellew at Everton’s Goodison Park. This was back in 2016 and while in Britain, Bakole came up to Glasgow to spar with Stephen Simmons, then being trained by Nelson at his Fighting Scots Gym. The two clicked and the rest, as they say, is history.

In a 2018 interview on how the relationship began, Bakole revealed: “Billy saw I had talent and said anytime I needed help, any time I wanted to talk to him there’s his number.”

As for how he’d managed the transition from Africa to Scotland, the big African said: “It’s just cold, home is hot and Scotland is cold. But it’s quiet. I like quiet. Nice people, the difference is just cold.”

Bakole and Nelson are old school in the way they go about their business. This has involved years spent on the road sparring with a who’s who of heavyweight talent all over Britain and further afield overseas, whenever required.

In the process, accounts have emerged of Bakole stopping the likes of London’s Daniel Dubois and current unified heavyweight world champion, Oleksandr Usyk, behind closed doors.

But, then, as Bakole points out: “Sparring is not a fight. Sparring is just to push yourself, to work, to be fit, the fight is another story. Maybe he’s keeping some things from me and me too [in sparring], I’m keep some things from him. Because maybe we can meet tomorrow.”

Boxing is a sport in which careers can be made or broken with just one performance. And what often separates those who progress and those who do not is the ability to take that all-important opportunity when it finally comes knocking.

How many fighters have littered the sport who’ve come into the pros with sterling amateur records to their name and yet have failed to rise to the challenge of meeting expectations?

This where the underappreciated role of psychology comes into proceedings. When Martin Bakole climbed through those ropes at the BMO Stadium in LA a few weeks ago, he did so both as the underdog in the eyes of many, and also in the sure knowledge that after years of waiting in the wings for his shot, here it was, right now, in front of him.

What ensued was one of the most dazzling heavyweight performances in some time. Bakole’s punch variation, rhythm, accuracy and timing were all tremendous to watch. The way he set about taking apart a young fighter, Jared Anderson, from whom big things in the sport were expected after racking up 17 wins on the bounce as a pro, was stunning. Bakole not only defeated Anderson, he schooled him, utilising a vast repertoire of tools, fashioned and developed through long years of sparring the best of the best in the game and taking any fight against whomever and whenever.

In response to his victory against Anderson, Nelson has with customary confidence let it be known that Bakole has the beating of every other heavyweight out there, if given the opportunity. His victory over Anderson has deservedly propelled him up the rankings of the main sanctioning bodies, and what with Saudi Arabia’s Turki al-AlShaikh now having essentially taken over top-flight boxing, the days of Bakole being swerved as a heavyweight problem child look to be in the past.

After defeating Anderson, Bakole returned to Kinshasha in the DRC to a welcome fit for a hero. With Nelson alongside him, he was feted by packed crowds and enjoyed a personal meeting with the country’s president, Felix Tshisekedi, at his official residence.

Not since Muhammad Ali fought George Foreman in Kinshasha way back in 1974 have the people of the Congo revered a heavyweight fighter as they currently do Martin Bakole. The result is this proud African and honorary son of Scotland all of a sudden finding himself with the world at his feet.