Nigeria’s world heavyweight title prospect, Efe Ajagba, and his opponent, Martin Bakole of Congo, have both claimed victory in their highly anticipated bout, which ended in a majority draw. The fight, held in Saudi Arabia as part of the Canelo Alvarez vs. William Scull card, saw both boxers give it their all, but the judges’ decision sparked controversy.
Ajagba, who was confident in his performance, said that even Bakole’s manager told him that he should have been declared the winner. “I won the fight. It’s not for me to decide, it’s the judges. My game plan was to use my footwork, but I got a little bit tired. He kept putting pressure on me. My jab wasn’t working as well. I want the rematch for sure. I want it in the United States,” Ajagba said.
Bakole, on the other hand, also claimed victory and attributed his performance to struggling with weight issues. “After losing against Parker, I worked hard. I thought I won this fight. The judges say draw. I will ask His Excellency for the rematch on a full camp. I think this guy here knows I was struggling to lose weight. It was clever. With a full camp, the fight won’t go 10 rounds,” Bakole said.
Despite the controversy surrounding the judges’ decision, both boxers have expressed interest in a rematch. Ajagba believes that he did enough to win the fight and wants to prove himself again in the ring. Bakole, on the other hand, is confident that he can knock Ajagba out in their rematch if he has a full training camp.
The majority draw verdict was announced after 10 rounds of action, with the judges scoring it 96-94 Ajagba and 95-95 twice. While many boxing pundits believed that Ajagba had done enough to win, the judges’ decision has left both boxers with more work to do if they want to secure a shot at the world heavyweight title.
A rematch between Ajagba and Bakole may be the best option for both boxers, given that many top heavyweights already have fights confirmed. Bakole had taken his previous bout with Joseph Parker on short notice and seemed to still be recovering from the effects 10 weeks later. Despite this, he showed moments of success against Ajagba, who appeared to dictate a lot of the action.
The outcome of the fight has left both boxers with a lot to think about, but they are both eager to get back in the ring and prove themselves. With a rematch already being discussed, fans can expect to see more of these two talented boxers in the future.
As the boxing world waits with bated breath for the potential rematch, Ajagba and Bakole will be working hard to improve their skills and come out on top. The question on everyone’s mind is: who will emerge victorious in the rematch? Only time will tell.