Efe Ajagba still has some work to do.
The 6-foot-6 heavyweight suffered his first professional defeat at the hands of Frank Sanchez in October 2021, when the Cuban won a broad decisive victory to halt Ajagba’s sudden rise. .
Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs) had surgery to repair both of his damaged elbows shortly after and then bounced back by stopping unannounced Jozsef Darmos for two innings in October. Last 8, his most recent match.(
Now for a tougher test, a scheduled 10-round bout with undefeated Stephan Shaw on Saturday in Verona, New York (ESPN, ESPN+).
Ajagba was scheduled to take on the more notable Oscar Rivas but Rivas withdrew due to an eye injury two weeks ago, after which Shaw (18-0, 13 KOs) jumped at the chance to face the strong man. Nigeria.
One of Ajagba’s goals: to fight more often. He fought twice in 2021 and once last year.
“Since I came back from surgery, I’ve been trying to do everything to fight more,” Ajagba said at a press conference on Thursday. “That’s why I only fought once last year. I tried to get more battles.
Ajagba’s prepared for a shorter competitor in Rivas, 6 feet ¼ inches tall. And the Canadian-Colombian has faced elite opposition, which cannot be said for Shaw.
Shaw, 6-4. will fight only in his second scheduled 10th round on Saturday.
Ajagba said he will be the same boxer we’ve known since he first became an attractive prospect a few years ago, spurring action and finding ways to hurt his opponents.
“I adjusted for Saturday night,” he said. “We will see how it plays out. I’m ready for him.”
He continued: “I am ready to perform. I will put more pressure. I cannot wait. I am very excited to be here.”
