The debate over Africa’s top heavyweight intensified after Efe Ajagba and Martin Bakole battled to a 10-round majority draw at the ANB Arena on Saturday night.
With both men eyeing a future shot at a world heavyweight title — and the unofficial crown as the continent’s No. 1 — the outcome settled little. Judges Bob Williams and Pablo Gonzalez each scored the bout 95-95, while Kieran McCann had it 96-94 in Ajagba’s favor, resulting in a majority draw that left neither fighter able to stake a definitive claim.
Ajagba (20-1-1, 14 KOs) boxed cautiously, using lateral movement to stay out of danger and accumulate points. Bakole (21-2-1, 16 KOs), by contrast, pressed forward relentlessly in search of a stoppage. Both men believed they had done enough.
“I won the fight to be honest,” said Ajagba. “I won the fight but it’s not up to me to decide, it’s the judges’ decision. But if you ask me, I won the fight.”
Bakole disagreed. “I thought I won the fight but it is what it is. I will ask His Excellency if I can have the rematch,” he said.
Bakole entered the ring wearing a shirt honoring George Foreman, who passed away last month. The DR Congo native paid tribute to the legend, whose iconic “Rumble in the Jungle” bout took place in his homeland.
The fight marked Bakole’s second appearance in Riyadh in 10 weeks after stepping in as a late replacement for Daniel Dubois against Joseph Parker in February — a bout he lost by second-round stoppage. This time, with a full training camp, Bakole insisted it was the “real fight.”
The opening rounds were tense and tactical. Ajagba, who weighed in 59 pounds lighter, circled on his toes while Bakole held the center of the ring. A late right hand from Ajagba punctuated a quiet first round.
Ajagba enjoyed success early in the third with sharp counter right hands, but Bakole responded late with a heavy left hook that forced the Nigerian back to the ropes. The fourth round saw Bakole increase the pressure, landing another big left as he hunted for a finish. Ajagba, however, defended tightly and fired back with crisp counters whenever Bakole appeared close to a breakthrough.
The tempo dipped in the middle rounds, though Ajagba continued to score with well-timed right hands. In the sixth, a frustrated Bakole urged him to stand and trade. By the seventh and eighth, Ajagba’s movement continued to stifle Bakole’s advances, even prompting an appeal to referee Howard Foster over Ajagba’s reluctance to engage.
The fight sprang to life late in the eighth when Bakole trapped Ajagba on the ropes and landed a thudding left hook, only for the bell to intervene. The ninth followed a similar script, with Bakole working the body and head as Ajagba absorbed pressure along the ropes.
In the final round, Bakole pressed hard once more, landing another solid left, but Ajagba repeatedly escaped and returned to circling. The closing minute showcased Ajagba’s evasive footwork as he steered clear of trouble until the final bell.
When the scores were announced, the stalemate ensured the question of Africa’s premier heavyweight remains unanswered — and a rematch may now be inevitable.