Related Stories. As an amateur, he won a gold medal at the 2015 African Games and bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games . If he wants to build on his recent success, he needs to push himself harder inside the ropes. "Looking for possibly one more fight, then that's it. BoxRec: BoxRec is not under the control of any governing or sanctioning body, data may be incomplete . Sanchez seemed to catch a break in Round 6, when he fell to a knee after taking a jab from Ajagba. Nigeria's biggest boxing export, Efe Ajagba, is in line to make his debut in Britain this year after impressive outings in the United States. Boxing Junkie scored it 98-91 for Sanchez. But Harper, who said he never received a contract signed and authenticated by the fight's promoters, later claimed he quit in protest of his purse. He said.. "I just focused all. He just never gave Ajagba a good target. Many believe Harper was scared to fight Ajagba, an undefeated fighter who had knocked out the five opponents he'd faced before that bout. .w-100 { The dude had to have some type of chip on his shoulder because fighters know what we went through to get in that ring. FRANK SANCHEZ shocked the Tyson Fury vs Deontay Wilder crowd by punching Efe Ajagba when his knee was down. Sanchez boasts 13 knockouts from his 18 wins. Everything is fine. The pair made the most out of their appearance on the Fury vs Wilder 3 card. Although Ajagba is the bigger name and the A-side in this fight, he's also the underdog at +120 (win $120 on a $100 wager), as of Friday afternoon. In the end, no one was surprised by the scoring. He's boxed a total of 75 rounds, meaning his professional fights last 4.2 rounds on average. Sportsbrief.com also published details about Tebogo Langerman, one of the most decorated South African footballers known for his stunning performances in the pitch. ", Curtis Harper: "It was not a matter of caring about the opponent. TKO 5. Referee gives the final instructions. When: Saturday, April 22 Efe Ajagba is a Nigerian professional boxer, commonwealth champion, and Olympian with impressive boxing exploits. The 29-year-old Cuban is regarded by many as the favourite and superior boxer, while Ajagba is dismissed as a power-punching one-trick pony devoid of any skill, as some say about Wilder. Somewhere Cedric Kushner is smiling. Can Joyce start over after a tough loss? Ajagba who hails from Delta State in the Southern part of Nigeria . ", Efe Ajagba: "I was surprised. Efe Ajagba - The Nigerian heavyweight gave a so-so performance in a dull fight but he deserved his unanimous-decision victory over Stephan Shaw in a 10-round bout Saturday at Turning Point. 12-0 (10 KOs) This is some text inside of a div block. ", Shields: "I think they should ban him from boxing. Ajagba faces Frank Sanchez in Nevada, with the undefeated Cuban putting his WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title on the line. Efe Ajagba (born 22 April 1994) is a Nigerian professional boxer who holds the record for the fastest victory in boxing history after his opponent was disqualified for leaving the ring one second after the opening bell. Harper cited a dispute over money for his decision not to fight, which resulted in his disqualification. ESPN has obtained a copy of a fight contract signed by Curtis Harper, who also sent Marvin Romero, the booking agent, a text message that said, "Just sent [the contract] in. Mikey Williams / Top Rank via Getty Images, https://boxingjunkie.usatoday.com/2023/01/weekend-review-efe-ajagbas-uninspiring-victory-and-a-bizarre-ending, Efe Ajagba outworks Stephan Shaw to win unanimous decision, Efe Ajagba vs. Stephan Shaw: LIVE updates, results, full coverage, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. As a professional, Ajagba holds the record for the fastest victory in boxing history after his opponent was disqualified for leaving the ring 1 second after the opening bell. "But I'm looking forward to Sanchez first. It promises to be one not to miss. Is it time for football to phase out heading? [2], Ajagba took up the sport of boxing in 2011 after previously playing football for a club in Ughelli since 2005. Jonathan Rice Rice (16-6-1, 11 KOs) was more fortunate than effective against previously unbeaten Guido Vianello on the Ajagba-Shaw undercard. Nigerian boxer, Efe Ajagba knocked out his opponent in 23 seconds at the Rio Summer Olympics When asked his secret?. Sometimes a boxer gives such a sublime performance that he simply has to be rewarded. Heavyweight Efe Ajagba is now best known for the bizarre actions of his most-recent opponent, Curtis Harper, who walked out of the ring at the opening bell and into boxing infamy on August 24 in Minneapolis. height: calc(100% + 1px); "There's something special about him because of the way he moves forwards and backward. who walked out of the ring at the opening bell, The 10 Hardest Punchers in Heavyweight History, David Benavidez vs. Caleb Plant: The Undercard, Polish Star Adam Kownacki battles Robert Helenius in a WBA Title Eliminator March 7 on FOX, Jermell Charlo Stops Tony Harrison in a Thriller, Regains Title. Frank Sanchez scores the first knockdown of the fight, tagging Efe Ajagba with two right hands, and following it with a left while his opponent had a knee down. But tried as he did, winning a medal was a mission impossible for the Delta . Odds data updated every 30 minutes and are subject to change. [1] He advanced to the semifinals where he was defeated by Joseph Goodall of Australia, meaning Ajagba won a bronze medal. ", Romero: "That has nothing to do with the fight. Keep an eye on your inbox for the latest boxing news, highlights and exclusive content from PBC. ", Ronnie Shields: "I think he was fine up until he saw Ajagba. The undefeated heavyweight stalwarts Efe Ajagba and Frank Sanchez rolled out a fiery slugfest for the WBC Continental Americas heavyweight title and the WBO NABO heavyweight title. "I see and hear a lot of people say that, but I don't care," he replied. "He's the first top-class heavyweight that I've sparred with which looks good on my record," he said. I just dont see the all-around ability. "I didn't know it was an issue until now because he never brought it up until after the fight," Margules said. The knockout of Howard was a terrific finish, and Ajagba says it was no fluke. for the fastest victory in boxing history. I punch harder than Tyson Fury. Instead, he mightve done Ajagba a favor. The top of his list features British ace Daniel Dubois who is about to return after the first defeat of his pro career. Ajagba is currently ranked 14th by the WBC at Heavyweight. After the knockout, I feel the pain a little bit on my right elbow. He didn't want to get in there. Continue with Recommended Cookies. That was the only way we would survive, Efe said. The Cuban, 29, knocked Ajagba to the canvas but delivered an extra blow to ensure he left his opponent needing to beat the count. Changes and delays are outside of our control. "It was an explosive knockout so they brought me in because they believed I had the same knockout power like Wilder," Ajagba told BBC Sport Africa. Efe Ajagba The Nigerian heavyweight gave a so-so performance in a dull fight but he deserved his unanimous-decision victory over Stephan Shaw in a 10-round bout Saturday at Turning Point Resort & Casino in Verona, New York. MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Earlier this month, many were shocked when Jacksonville's Curtis Harper, a boxer with a 13-6 record, was disqualified after exiting the ring seconds after the opening bell in a fight against up-and-coming former Olympian Efe Ajagba, of Nigeria. Efe Ajagba (born 22 April 1994) is a Nigerian professional boxer. RISING heavyweight star Efe Ajagba clocked up his sixth consecutive victory. Efe Ajagba (14-0, 11 KOs) Ajagba is a Nigerian heavyweight prospect who has spent most of his career so far rising through the ranks under the guidance of Al Haymon's PBC. [CDATA[/* >