Bakary Samake racked up another big hit on his way to title contention.
The rapidly rising junior middleweight extended his current knockout streak after he put away previously unbeaten Alejandro Ortiz. A final combination put Ortiz down and out, as the fight was waved off midway through the fifth round Saturday at Palais des Sport Marcel Cerdan in Levallois-Perret, France.
Whereas some fighters tend to show more flaws as their competition level rises, Samake, 19-0 (11 KOs), continues to impress more with each performance. The 22-year-old Samake, from Aubervilliers, France, has put away all three opponents since entering scheduled 12-round bouts.
Venezuela’s Ortiz, 25-1 (24 KOs), learned that violent lesson firsthand in his first career fight on the road. The 24-year-old puncher boasted a glossy record, but Samake quickly showed that there are levels to this game.
Samake used his superior boxing skills to limit Ortiz’s offense and often land in combination. The right hand and left hook were key weapons of choice for Samake, who frequently had Ortiz in trouble.
Ortiz attempted a more assertive approach in the fourth but quickly paid the price. Samake effortlessly slipped a pair of left hooks and proceeded to walk down Ortiz as he pushed the action towards the ropes.
The fateful fifth round saw Samake land several right hands as Ortiz laid along the ropes in hopes of riding out the storm. A subsequent clinch was all that would slow Samake’s attack, but it merely prolonged the inevitable.
Samake put an exclamation point on his statement-making performance with a final left hook and right hand. One more right was launched but merely served as window dressing, as Ortiz was on his way to the canvas and done for the night. The referee began his count before he ceased midway through to halt the contest.
The moment prompted Samake to strike a pose as he simulated shooting an arrow from a bow.
Saturday’s win comes less than a week after he was installed as the WBC’s No. 1 contender at 154lbs. Samake replaced former unified welterweight titlist Jaron “Boots” Ennis, 35-0 (31 KOs), who was removed after he fought for and claimed the WBA interim 154lbs title.
Samake's run began with a seventh-round knockout of Australia’s Wade Ryan last November 23 in Paris. The win was followed by his most notable scalp to date, when Samake put away Roarke Knapp in the eighth round of their April 18 clash in front of a sold-out crowd of 38,500 at La Defense Arena, also in Paris.
Team Samake's expectation now is for its fighter to challenge for a major title at some point in 2026.
Sebastian Fundora, 23-1-1 (15 KOs), holds the WBC 154lbs title. He was due to face Keith Thurman on Saturday in Las Vegas, but reportedly suffered an injury and withdrew from the bout. He is currently without a new fight date.
Vergil Ortiz, 23-0 (21 KOs), owns the interim version of the belt, which he will risk versus Erickson Lubin, 27-2 (19 KOs), on November 8 in Fort Worth, Texas.
Samake – who regularly trains in Las Vegas, particularly at the Top Rank Gym – has now stopped each of his past three opponents, all within the past 12 months.
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as a senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home. Follow Jake on X and Instagram.
