Zuffa Boxing returns on Sunday with Zuffa Boxing 03 from the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The occasion is headlined by a conflict between Efe Ajagba and former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin.
Ajagba is on the verge of being a prime 10 heavyweight on the earth and sure would already be thought-about as such had issues damaged higher for him on the scorecards in his most up-to-date battle. That evening, Ajagba took on Martin Bakole, seen as considered one of heavyweight’s boogeymen, prevented by most within the division for the difficulties he can current to opponents.
Ajagba managed a lot of that battle in Could 2025, however the scorecards resulted in a majority draw, with one choose scoring the battle 96-94 in Ajagba’s favor and the opposite two ruling the battle a 95-95 draw.
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Ajagba was rewarded for his efficiency in opposition to Bakole with a proposed IBF title eliminator in opposition to Frank Sanchez, who handed Ajagba his lone defeat in a 2021 assembly. Ajagba was sad with how the purse bid for the battle shook out and declined to maneuver ahead with the bout, in the end resulting in the termination of his contract with High Rank, which opened the door for the heavyweight contender to signal with Zuffa Boxing.
Whereas Martin does maintain the excellence of being a former world heavyweight champion, the circumstances of his title reign are uncommon.
Martin gained the IBF title in a 2016 bout with Vyacheslav Glazkov that noticed Glazkov unable to proceed on account of a knee harm suffered throughout a third-round knockdown. Lower than 90 days later, Martin was now not champion, struggling a second-round knockout to Anthony Joshua.
Martin has insisted he was “badly injured” 10 days earlier than the Joshua battle and continued to chase a rematch for years, rising to the fringes of title competition with a couple of wins earlier than struggling repeated setbacks within the type of losses to Adam Kownacki, Luis Ortiz and Jared Anderson.
After shedding to Anderson in July 2023, Martin obtained again within the win column with a stoppage of unheralded Matthew McKinney the next November. He has not fought since, marking 15 months out of the ring.
The sunshine heavyweight co-main occasion between Umar Dzambekov and Ahmed Elbiali seems to be the standout battle on the cardboard, with unbeaten Dzambekov trying to proceed constructing his resume in opposition to a tricky out in Elbiali, whose lone loss got here to former world champion Jean Pascal.
Let’s take a better take a look at the remainder of the battle card for Sunday evening with the newest odds earlier than attending to a prediction and professional choose on the primary occasion beneath.
Zuffa Boxing 03 battle card, odds
Odds through DraftKings Sportsbook
- Efe Ajagba -1100 vs. Charles Martin +650, heavyweights
- Umar Dzambekov-1400 vs. Ahmed Elbiali +700, mild heavyweights
- Abel Mejia -800 vs. Jaybrio Pe Benito +500, lightweights
- Leonardo Ruiz -1400 vs. Casey Streeter +700, middleweights
- Antonio Woods -425 vs. Mark Beuke +300, middleweights
- Oswaldo Molina -1200 vs. Joshua Clark +650, lightweights
- Emiliano Alvarado -2500 vs. Devin Gantt +1000, junior featherweight
- Dariial Kuchmenov -3000 vs. Jorge Lagunas +1000, lightweights
The place to look at Zuffa Boxing 03
Date: Feb. 15 | Location: Meta APEX — Las Vegas
Prelims start at 6 p.m. ET
Most important card begins at 9 p.m. ET
Watch reside: Paramount+ (subscribe now for as little as $8.99 per 30 days)
Prediction
As a 31-year-old on a six-fight unbeaten streak who was being lined up for a title eliminator, Ajagba could be very a lot a contender at heavyweight. Martin began his profession 23-0 and gained a world title, however has fallen very a lot right into a spot as a gatekeeper for the division. That is not a knock as a result of divisions profit from gatekeepers; they’re adequate to fend off pretenders, and a win in opposition to them carries precise which means.
Ajagba got here up brief in opposition to Frank Sanchez, which does increase some questions on whether or not he is able to absolutely break by to the higher echelon of heavyweights and if he is not, Martin is gifted sufficient to knock him down the ladder. However Ajagba’s efficiency in opposition to Bakole confirmed he can deal with huge, awkward heavyweights who carry some energy of their fists.
This can be a battle set as much as get Ajagba a win over a former champion and he ought to be capable to do exactly that. Decide: Efe Ajagba through UD
