Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba and Congolese contender Martin Bakole fought to a dramatic majority draw in a much-anticipated bout in Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning.
After 10 intense rounds at the ANB Arena in Riyadh, the judges scored the contest 95-95, 94-96, and 95-95, with one judge narrowly favouring Ajagba while the other two called it even.
The outcome surprised many boxing analysts who had pegged Bakole as the slight favourite. The fight, part of the undercard for Canelo Álvarez’s clash with William Scull, had high stakes for both fighters.
For Bakole, it was a shot at redemption after a crushing second-round knockout loss to Joseph Parker earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Ajagba sought to extend his impressive five-fight winning streak following his sole professional defeat to Frank Sánchez in October 2021.
Ajagba, 30, entered the ring with a formidable record of 20 wins (14 by knockout) and one loss.
His recent performances, including a dominant victory over Guido Vianello last April, underscored his determination.
Despite bookmakers favouring Bakole with odds of 1.27 (-400) compared to Ajagba’s 3.30 (+330), the Nigerian proved his resilience in a fight that could have tipped either way.
The bout marked a crucial juncture for both fighters in pursuing a world title shot in a division currently ruled by unified champion Oleksandr Usyk and IBF titleholder Daniel Dubois.
While the majority draw result leaves both boxers with unfinished business, their aspirations remain alive in the competitive heavyweight landscape.
Neither, however, managed to deliver the decisive performance that would propel them closer to the sport’s pinnacle.