The IBF has ordered a final decider between Martin Bakole and Efe Ajagba to make a mandatory decision on heavyweight champion Daniel Dubois.
So far, two fighters, Agit Kabayel and Zhilei Zhang, have opted not to face the dangerous puncher Bakole (20-1, 16 KOs) in an IBF-ordered title fight. So, now it is Efe Ajagba’s turn. It will be interesting to see if you agree with this fight.
Bakole’s Next Ajagba
2016 Olympian Ajagba (20-1, 14 KOs) is ranked #7 with the IBF and is coming off wins against Guido Vianello, Joseph Goodall, Zhan Kossobutskiy, and Stephan Shaw. Ajagba, 30, has the power to beat Bakole, but whether he can stay with him long enough to deliver his bombs is the big question.
#4 IBF Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs) destroyed America’s best young heavyweight, Jared Anderson, by fifth round knockout last summer on August 3rd on the Riyadh Season card in Los Angeles.
Assuming the 6’6″ Ajagba is going to face Bakole, it should be fun as long as it lasts. Bakole is not hard to beat, and Ajagba has more than enough power to take him out if he can get a clean shot.
The only loss on Ajagba’s resume came against Cuba’s Frank Sanchez, losing a 10-round unanimous decision on October 9, 2021. Sanchez knocked Ajagba out, using angles and movement to confuse him. Bakole is not the type of fighter. He has the old Sonny Liston style of standing up and hitting hard.
What is impressive about Bakole is that he can generate a lot of power with punches that are not thrown at speed, and he hits hard, even at close range. He can throw powerful arm punches, and he doesn’t need to wind up like other heavyweights.
Martin Can’t Be Beaten
Bakole is far from undefeated, as we saw in his tenth round loss to Michael Hunter on October 13, 2018. Hunter was cautious in the first half of the fight, avoiding Bakole’s power when he first came in. too late to get a knockout.
Bakole has won his last ten fights since then, albeit against middle-of-the-road fighters. The team was the hottest job Jared Anderson, Top Rank was carefully matching with cans to make him get the big money title.
Bakole exposed Jared as a fake, which may come as a surprise to die-hard fans who don’t know what the deal is with the guy. It may be difficult for Bakole to match Ajagba because he has more talent, strength, and chin. Also, if Ajabga can catch Bakole with his big gun, it will be a night for him.
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