Delta state -born heavyweight star Efe Ajagba delivered a dominant statement victory in Las Vegas, stopping former IBF world champion Charles Martin in the fourth round of their heavyweight showdown on February 16, 2026.
Ajagba (21-1-1, 15 KOs), who reportedly added 15 pounds of muscle during training camp, combined calculated aggression with raw power to overwhelm the American southpaw. He edged the opening round with stiff right hands, while Martin briefly found rhythm in the second, landing sharp lefts that tested the Nigerian contender.
The momentum shifted decisively in the third round when Ajagba landed a crushing right hook that sent Martin to the canvas, igniting the Las Vegas crowd. Smelling blood, the Ughelli-born fighter pressed forward with a relentless barrage, trapping the former champion against the ropes.
In the fourth round, another knockdown sealed Martin’s fate. Ajagba unleashed heavy right hands as Martin sagged on the ropes, forcing referee Thomas Taylor to step in and wave off the contest.
The emphatic stoppage further strengthens Ajagba’s standing among the division’s elite contenders. For Martin, it marked his fourth defeat in eight fights, continuing a challenging stretch in his career.
Ajagba, who previously showcased his knockout power with a stoppage win over Australia’s Joseph Goodall in 2023, has now added a former world champion to his résumé.
Speaking confidently after the fight, the Nigerian heavyweight made his ambitions clear:
“I’m ready to fight anyone in the division. I’m ranked in the top 10, but no one is saying my name. I’m putting the heavyweight division on notice.”
With this performance, Ajagba has firmly announced himself as a serious force in boxing’s heavyweight landscape.
