Nigerian Heavyweight Boxer Efe Ajagba Defeats American Stephan Shaw

When Efe Ajagba was an amateur in boxing, he won a gold medal at the 2015 African Games and bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba has defeated his previously unbeaten American counterpart Stephan Shaw with score of 96-94.

The match took place at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York state, US.

After round six, Shaw was ahead of his opponent with a score of 58-56 on all three judges’ cards. In the following four rounds, Ajagba outpointed him 62-37. Observers noted that Ajagba was attacking his rival for almost all 10 rounds of the battle.

"I went back to the corner and they told me to let my hands go, keep throwing punches, my jab," Ajagba said. "I controlled the fight, so that’s how I won the fight. He tried to land the big shots. I watched him to see what he was going to do. He kept throwing the jab, using the jab more."

For 30-year-old-Shaw, nicknamed Big Shot, who is from St. Louis, Missouri, it is the first defeat by a unanimous decision.

For 28-year-old Ajagba, nicknamed the Silent Roller, it is the second victory in a row, after he lost to Cuban Frank Sanchez in 2021. After his defeat, the Nigerian boxer underwent surgeries on both elbows.

Following the match against Shaw, Ajagba's boxing record improved to 17 wins to 1 loss with 13 victories by knockouts, while Shaw's dropped to 18 wins to 1 loss, 13 knockouts.

Efe Ajagba is known for the fastest victory in the history of boxing after his opponent, American Curtis Harper, was disqualified for leaving the ring one second after the start of the battle in protest over a pay dispute.