WBC silver heavyweight champion Efe Ajagba showcased his remarkable boxing skills and determination on Sunday, securing his title with a resounding fourth-round technical knockout victory over Australian challenger Joe Goodall.
The win marked Ajagba’s fourth consecutive victory, a comeback after a disappointing loss to Cuba’s Frank Sanchez in a previous fight. Since turning professional in 2017, Ajagba’s performance against Goodall is considered one of his best displays in the ring. It was also a sweet revenge for the Nigerian boxer, who had suffered a defeat at the hands of the Australian challenger during the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Ajagba’s strategy in the fight was near perfection, with a strong focus on using his jab effectively. According to stats, Ajagba landed 61 of 140 total punches (44%), including 29 of 81 jabs (36%) and 32 of 59 power punches (54%). Goodall, on the other hand, landed 28 of 81 total punches, evenly split between 14 jabs and 14 power punches.
In the rematch that took place at Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline, Nevada, Ajagba demonstrated his hard-hitting prowess by stopping Australia’s Goodall in the fourth round of their 10-round main event. Referee Tony Weeks intervened just 50 seconds into the fourth round, recognizing that Goodall was taking too many unanswered punches.
This victory improved Ajagba’s professional record to an impressive 19-1, with 14 of those victories coming by knockout. Goodall, from Brisbane, suffered the first defeat inside the distance of his five-year professional career, with a record of 10-2-1 and 9 knockouts.
The Nigerian avenged his split-decision loss to Goodall during the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Goodall had entered this rematch with newfound confidence after a significant win over Stephan Shaw, who he stopped in the sixth round on July 22 at FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Shaw, with a record of 18-2 and 13 knockouts, had previously gone the distance with Ajagba in a 10-round bout that Ajagba won by unanimous decision on January 14 in Verona, New York.
The turning point in the fight came when Ajagba delivered a powerful right hand that visibly wobbled Goodall about 35 seconds into the fourth round. Sensing his opponent’s vulnerability, Ajagba unleashed a flurry of power punches, prompting the referee to step in and stop the fight to prevent Goodall from taking unnecessary punishment.
After the fight, Ajagba credited his trainer, Kay Koroma, for instilling a newfound level of confidence in him. “Right now, I come back with full confidence. That’s why I was able to take him out,” said Ajagba. He also emphasized the rigorous training and hard work that contributed to his victory. “Thank God they (trainers) pushed me through. They made me work hard, extremely hard, for this camp to make sure I stay in shape. I spar (with) a lot of different guys to make me stay strong,” he added.
Ajagba’s impressive performance didn’t go unnoticed, and it appears that his next challenge might come from the highly rated 40-year-old Chinese boxer, Zhilei Zhang, who was in attendance at the fight.