Efe Ajagba vs Charles Martin: Zuffa Heavyweights Square Off on Sunday

This Sunday night, streaming live on Paramount+, heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba squares off against aged vet Charles Martin. Both boxers have recently signed with Zuffa Boxing, so it makes sense they would be matched up.

The winner and presumably the loser could get a chance to be added to a Ring card in the near future, given that Dana White said he would allow it. The reason why this boxing podcaster mentions this point is the reluctance of White’s UFC to work with other MMA entities. Dana made it quite clear he will not be working with the other major players in the sport of boxing beyond Ring cards when Turki Al-Sheikh is flipping the bill.

Efe Ajagba has some of the necessary tools to be a real threat to the heavyweight division. He possesses a solid jab, good hand speed, and power in his right hand. Consistency on offense for Efe has been an issue. Charles Martin was a champion for a fight on a technicality due to an injury sustained by his opponent. Martin proceeded to get beat down in this very next fight by Anthony Joshua all the way back in 2016. Charles is a game fighter, but his activity makes it easy to question what he will be able to give on fight night.

In the summer of 2023, rising prospect Jared Anderson dropped Martin in the first round. Charles did manage to get up and test Anderson, especially in the 5th round, and in the final frame, Jared’s legs looked shaky. A major red flag for Martin is the fact that this will be just his 5th outing since 2020. Efe has a loss via getting outboxed by Frank Sanchez. He also had a draw with Martin Bakole last May. If Efe can establish his jab and land clean power punches on what can be a crafty target in Charles Martin, he will win this fight.

If Ajagba gets caught up looking for one shot at a time, it could be a long night. Martin has experience and core fundamentals not always found at a heavyweight. Active jab, jab-right hand, and mix in a left hook from time to time should be a winning recipe for Efe. Also, softening up Martin’s midsection with body punching. Efe is the favorite, with Martin slated anywhere from +510 all the way up to +650 underdog. The best bet, according to this boxing junkie, is Ajagba by decision +155. A stoppage for Efe is -159, and the over/under set at 8.5.

My Official Prediction is Efe Ajagba by decision.

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Written by Chris Carlson Host/Producer of The Rope A Dope Radio Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker, I-Heart Radio, The Grueling Truth Sports Network, Amazon Podcasts, Google Podcasts & More! Follow on Twitter @RopeADopeRadio