LAS VEGAS – Efe Ajagba added 15 pounds of strength and brawn to his already imposing demeanor, then made former heavyweight champion Charles Martin feel all the ill effects.
Ajagba, 21-1-1 (15 KOs), knocked down Martin twice before uncorking three more unanswered right hands that convinced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the bout by TKO at the 1:11 mark of the fourth round in the Zuffa Boxing main event Sunday at the Apex.
Ajagba, who is ranked in the top 15 by the WBC and IBF, said he respected Martin’s experience to start.
The pair exchanged a few times during the first round, with Ajagba landing the harder rights.
Martin got the better of Ajagba with lefts in the second, and his maneuvering created some of the openings after Ajagba weighed in 15 pounds over his personal-high and looked lumbering at the start.
A hard right by Ajagba decked Martin in the third.
The former champion spit out his mouthpiece upon rising, and Ajagba pursued with an effective barrage that had Martin reeling.
Ajagba then dropped Martin again in the fourth, and set him up for the finish.
“I’m ready to fight anyone in the division,” Ajagba said. “I’m ranked in the top 10, but no one is saying my name.
“I’m putting the heavyweight division on notice.”
