Efe Ajagba vs Charles Martin
Efe Ajagba vs Charles Martin will take place on Sunday, February 15, at the Meta Apex, Las Vegas, live on Paramount+.
Ajagba, 20-1-1 (14 KOs) and Martin, 30-4-1 (27 KOs) will meet in a pivotal heavyweight clash. Ajagba is on the doorstep of a major title fight, while former IBF titlist Martin has transitioned into the role of divisional gatekeeper.
The matchup was once targeted to headline a November 2023 ESPN+ show from Stateline, Nevada. Ajagba instead faced Joseph Goodall, whom he stopped in the fourth round.
A 2016 Olympian, Nigerian Ajagba was tabbed earlier last year to face Frank Sanchez in an ordered IBF title eliminator in what would have been a rematch of their October 2021 meeting won by Sanchez on points. The bout went to a purse bid hearing, won by Sampson Boxing.
However, Ajagba was displeased with the purse offering and declined to move forward with the fight. It cost him the chance to avenge his lone career defeat, and ultimately led to the end of his agreement with Top Rank and subsequent signing with Zuffa.
Martin previously held the IBF heavyweight title, having won the belt in January 2016. His stay was brief, the second shortest reign in history, as he was stopped in the second round by then-unbeaten Anthony Joshua in his first world title win way back in April 2016. AJ’s speed and powerful right hands swept Martin off his feet twice in the first half of the second stanza. He walked to the ring dressed as a king, but his performance was not at all commanding or royal.
This 10-round heavyweight headliner with 31-year-old Ajagba will mark just his 11th ring appearance in nearly 10 years that have passed since that defeat. Martin, 39, provided stiff tests for unbeaten rising heavyweights Jared Anderson and Adam Kownacki, and former title challenger Luis Ortiz along the way.
There have also been some memorable wins as well, such as his February 2020 knockout victory over former title challenger Gerald Washington.
All told, this bout will mark Martin’s first since November 24, when he earned an early knockout victory over Matthew McKinney in Redwood City, California, taking his KO ratio up to 90%.
Ajagba possesses a respectable 70% ratio, but more impressive than that is how he has only ever fought winning fighters, his 23 opponents combined record stands at 322-54, which includes the forthcoming Charles Martin.
He is tall, rangy, athletic, and sharp. He has the ability to box Martin at range to win this heavyweight matchup via a dominant points win, but Martin still carries power and will be a constant threat.
Z03 Full fight card
Efe Ajagba vs Charles Martin
Umar Dzambekov vs Ahmed Elbiali
Abel Mejia vs Jaybrio Pe Benito
Leonardo Ruiz vs Casey Streeter
Antonio Woods vs Mark Beuke
Oswaldo Molina vs Joshua Clark
Emiliano Alvarado vs Devin Gantt
Dariial Kuchmenov vs TBD
