Ajagba, Bakole battle to hard-fought draw in Saudi heavyweight showdown

Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba and Congolese fighter Martin Bakole fought to a gripping majority draw in their highly anticipated showdown early Sunday at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

After ten fiercely contested rounds, the judges returned scores of 95-95, 94-96, and 95-95. One judge leaned slightly in Ajagba’s favour, but the other two ruled the bout even, resulting in a stalemate.

The verdict came as a surprise to several boxing commentators who had tipped Bakole as the slight favorite heading into the match. The fight was part of the undercard for the main event between Canelo Álvarez and William Scull and carried significant implications for both competitors.

For Bakole, the bout represented an opportunity to bounce back from his devastating second-round knockout loss to Joseph Parker earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Ajagba entered the ring aiming to extend his winning run, having secured five consecutive victories since his lone professional defeat to Frank Sánchez in October 2021. The 30-year-old Nigerian brought an impressive record of 20 wins—14 by knockout—and just one loss into the fight.

Ajagba’s determination had been evident in his recent performances, notably his commanding victory over Guido Vianello last April.

“I have the abilities, I have the skills, I have the power, everything to become a heavyweight champion,” Ajagba boldly told Sky Sports ahead of the clash, setting his sights on future bouts with the division’s elite fighters.

Despite bookmakers listing Bakole as a 1.27 (-400) favorite over Ajagba’s 3.30 (+330) odds, the Nigerian showcased remarkable toughness in a contest that swung back and forth.

The bout proved pivotal for both men as they sought to edge closer to a world title opportunity in a division currently ruled by unified champion Oleksandr Usyk and IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois.

Though neither fighter delivered a decisive statement to catapult them into direct title contention, the draw keeps their championship hopes alive in a crowded heavyweight landscape.

While their quest for a breakthrough win continues, the result leaves unfinished business between the two contenders.