Nigerian heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba has fired a thunderous warning across the division, demanding bouts with top-10—and even top-five opponents after defeating former IBF champion Charles Martin with a ruthless fourth-round knockout in Las Vegas on Sunday night.
Ajagba, 31, ranked eighth by The Ring, delivered a punishing display at the UFC Apex, flooring Martin twice before referee Thomas Taylor halted the contest at 1:11 of the fourth round.
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The finish was as dramatic as it was decisive. Ajagba had been briefly shaken late in the third round when Martin clipped him with a left that momentarily buckled his knees. But the Nigerian responded instantly, detonating a savage right hand that sent the former champion crashing to the canvas. Martin beat the count, only to be hunted relentlessly as Ajagba closed the ring with chilling intent.
Any hopes of a reprieve vanished early in the fourth. Just 23 seconds in, three crushing right hands dropped Martin again. Though he struggled back to his feet, Ajagba poured on a ferocious follow-up, another series of right hands capped by a left; forcing Taylor to wave off the fight.
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“I didn’t feel his power, but he has a lot of experience. I did expect that. He was very sharp,” Ajagba said afterward, striking a calm but confident note.
The emphatic victory lifted Ajagba’s professional record to 21-1-1, with 15 knockouts, and marked a strong return to winning ways after his hard-fought 10-round majority draw against Martin Bakole in May in Riyadh. That bout had stalled his momentum; this one reignited it.
Now, Ajagba believes the message is impossible to ignore.
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“I’m ready for everyone in the top 10, but nobody’s mentioning my name. Nobody’s calling my name. I’m in the top 10. I’m ready to go. I want to fight the top 10, top five,” he declared.
Background and context
Martin had started brightly, using movement and a southpaw jab to control the opening two rounds, rolling back the years with his ring craft. But as Ajagba predicted, once the Nigerian found his timing and range, the bout tilted sharply in his favor.
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The loss was a damaging setback for Martin, who slipped to 30-5-1 (27 KOs). The 39-year-old had fought just once in the previous 31 months, and the lack of activity showed as the pressure mounted.
Martin’s career peak came in January 2016, when he captured the International Boxing Federation heavyweight title by stopping Vyacheslav Glazkov. His reign was short-lived, ending three months later when Anthony Joshua demolished him in two rounds.
For Ajagba, this win was about more than a knockout; it was a declaration of ambition and legacy. With his power reaffirmed, confidence restored, and a top-10 ranking already secured, the Nigerian now stands at the door of heavyweight boxing’s inner circle, demanding to be let in.
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