The boxing match between Nigerian heavyweight boxer, Efe Ajagba and Congolese contender Martin Bakole ended in a majority draw in Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning, May 4.
The match at the ANB Arena in Riyadh featured 10 intense rounds, with judges scoring it 95-95, 94-96, and 95-95. This result reflects a closely fought contest, with one judge giving a slight edge to Efe Ajagba while the other two saw it as an even match.
The outcome surprised many boxing analysts who had considered Bakole a slight favourite going into the fight.
Note that this bout was part of the undercard for Canelo Álvarez’s matchup with William Scull and held significant implications for both fighters.
For Bakole, it served as an opportunity for redemption after a challenging second-round knockout loss to Joseph Parker earlier this year.
Ajagba, on the other hand, aimed to continue his impressive winning streak of five fights following his only professional loss to Frank Sánchez in October 2021. With a record of 20 wins (14 by knockout) and just one loss, Ajagba confidently entered the ring.
“I have the abilities, I have the skills, I have the power, everything to become a heavyweight champion,” Ajagba told Sky Sports before the fight.
Despite bookmakers favouring Bakole with odds of 1.27 (-400) compared to Ajagba’s 3.30 (+330), the Nigerian heavyweight demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout the match, which ended in a draw.