BY OSABUOHIEN VIVIAN-ROSE
Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba has said he is ready for a world title opportunity following his emphatic stoppage victory over former champion Charles Martin in Las Vegas.
Ajagba produced a commanding performance at the UFC Apex, overwhelming Martin en route to a fourth-round technical knockout in their Zuffa Boxing main event.
29-year-old Ajagba improved his professional record to 21-1-1 (15 KOs), declaring that he is ready for the heavyweight championship, he is no longer willing to wait in the shadows.
From the opening bell, Ajagba dictated the tempo with his sharp jab and punishing right hand. His power told in the third round when he dropped Martin, a former IBF world champion, with a thunderous right. Though Martin managed to beat the count, he looked visibly unsettled as Ajagba sensed the finish.
The Nigerian heavyweight returned in the fourth round with renewed aggression, scoring a second knockdown before unleashing a relentless barrage of unanswered right hands.
Having seen enough, referee Thomas Taylor stepping in at 1:11 of Round Four to halt the contest and handed Ajagba a statement victory.
Rather than bask in the triumph, Ajagba immediately turned his attention to bigger targets. “I’m ready to fight anyone,” he declared after the bout.
“I’m ranked in the top 10, but no one is saying my name.” His message was unmistakable — he wants the champions and the elite contenders next.
Ajagba is currently rated inside the top 15 by both the WBC and IBF, but he believes his latest performance proves he deserves a shot at the heavyweight crown. With momentum firmly on his side, the Nigerian contender has thrown down the gauntlet to the division’s biggest names and is now openly campaigning for a world title clash.
