Zuffa Boxing Sets Charles Martin vs Efe Ajagba for February 14

Zuffa Boxing has signed former IBF heavyweight titleholder Charles Martin and contender Efe Ajagba, pairing them against each other in the main event of its February 14 card. The event will stream on Paramount+.

The matchup immediately raises questions about ceiling rather than upside. Martin is 39 years old. Ajagba has been a professional for nearly a decade without advancing beyond contender level. Neither has established himself as a consistent draw, and neither is currently viewed as a factor near the top of the heavyweight division.

Ajagba enters the fight off a ten round draw with Martin Bakole last May. It was a respectable performance. He boxed well early, managed distance, and handled Bakole’s size more effectively than expected over long stretches.

The result did little to change his standing, but it did reinforce that he can compete at a certain level. Prior to that, Ajagba edged Guido Vianello by split decision in 2024. His only career defeat came in 2021, when he was outclassed over ten rounds by Frank Sanchez. That fight placed a clear limit on how far his style could carry him.

Martin’s recent run has been thinner. He has fought four times in four years and gone two wins and two losses. The losses came against Jared Anderson and Luis Ortiz. The wins came against Matthew McKinney and Devin Vargas. Activity has been inconsistent, and the opposition has largely reflected that reality.

Martin’s career high point arrived suddenly and passed just as quickly. He won the IBF heavyweight title in 2016 when Vyacheslav Glazkov was forced out by injury. In his first defense, he was stopped in two rounds by Anthony Joshua. He never regained momentum after that defeat, spending the rest of his career circling the division rather than shaping it.

For Zuffa, the signing fits a cautious early pattern. The promotion is leaning on recognizable names whose careers have slowed, placing them into a controlled setting rather than attempting immediate relevance at the elite level. Presentation will matter more than ranking, and familiarity may matter more than form. Whether that approach can sustain interest beyond the opening phase remains uncertain, but it defines the lane Zuffa has chosen to start in.