Efe Ajagba signed with Zuffa Boxing after a irritating draw towards Martin Bakole that many observers believed Ajagba deserved to win. On Sunday, Ajagba made good on a brand new alternative with new promoters, ending former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin with a fourth-round TKO.
Martin managed a lot of the motion by means of the primary three rounds, transferring across the perimeter of the ring and forcing Ajagba to return to him. Ajagba did not make the most of a jab whereas attempting to shut distance, permitting Martin to land counters and keep away from the predictable proper palms from Ajagba.
For all of Martin’s success, heavyweight is a division the place issues can change right away, and that is precisely what occurred in Spherical 3. With Martin transferring alongside the ropes as soon as once more, Ajagba landed a heavy proper hand that put Martin on the canvas. Martin beat the depend and survived the spherical, however was proper again down within the opening 30 seconds of the fourth spherical, once more from a proper hand.
Ajagba remained affected person, searching down Martin and persevering with to land flurries of huge photographs till the referee was compelled to leap in and halt the bout on the 1:11 mark of Spherical 4.
Zuffa Boxing’s heavyweight division may be very a lot nonetheless in growth, however Ajagba entered the combat on the fringes of the highest 10 on the planet, and a giant knockout win over a former world champion cements him as a person who will doubtless be competing for Zuffa’s heavyweight title sooner or later.
Let’s check out what else occurred at Zuffa Boxing 03.
Umar Dzambekov def. Ahmed Elbiali through KO, Spherical 2
Dzambekov dominated a combat that was anticipated to be among the finest of the evening. Within the opening body, Dzambekov was capable of work a pinpoint jab and straight, typically dipping all the way down to the physique along with his photographs. It was clear from the early moments that the talent differential was huge and that Elbiali’s solely likelihood was prone to land a single, fight-changing shot.
Sadly for Elbiali, that large shot got here from Dzambekov. As Elbiali tried to maneuver ahead by means of Dzambekov’s photographs, Dzambekov landed a crushing uppercut that despatched Elbiali’s eyes rolling up into his head as he crashed to the canvas. Elbiali’s toes have been twitching because the referee started his depend, making it clear the combat was over in that second.
Dzambekov seemed like a person with the entire abilities to be one of many main gamers on the still-developing Zuffa Boxing roster. And a combat with Radivoje Kalajdzic may very well be an enormous one for Zuffa Boxing’s mild heavyweight division.
Jaybrio Pe Benito def. Abel Mejia through TKO, Spherical 3
The principle card acquired off to a wild begin as Pe Benito scored a large upset knockout of Mejia within the third spherical of their light-weight bout. The combat acquired off to a quick begin with each males touchdown significant photographs in toe-to-toe exchanges earlier than issues took a large flip within the second spherical. As the 2 exchanged once more, Pe Benito landed a brief left hook that despatched Mejia to the canvas.
Mejia beat the referee’s depend and the bell sounded to finish the spherical. Mejia was not given an opportunity to get again on observe within the third spherical, as Pe Benito landed a crushing straight proper hand that despatched Mejia again to the canvas. Mejia once more rose to his toes, however this time was unsteady and the referee was compelled to halt the motion lower than a minute into the spherical.
Pe Benito was a giant underdog at +500 however now owns one of many largest knockouts in Zuffa Boxing’s quick historical past, although perhaps not fairly as thunderous as Dzambekov’s uppercut one combat later.
