Sports
Ajagba Vs Bakole in Jeopardy After Congolese Fighter Steps in for Dubois
- Ajagba vs. Bakole in doubt as Bakole replaces Dubois against Parker in Saudi Arabia.
- IBF title eliminator uncertain as boxing officials reconsider mandatory challenger selection.
- Ajagba’s title hopes delayed? Nigerian heavyweight awaits new developments after Bakole’s switch.
Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba’s highly anticipated IBF title eliminator against Martin Bakole is now in jeopardy after the Congolese fighter agreed to step in as a late replacement for ill champion Daniel Dubois against Joseph Parker in Saudi Arabia on Saturday night.
Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs), originally set to face Ajagba in May in New York, will now replace Dubois, who was forced to withdraw from his IBF heavyweight title defence due to illness just two days before the fight.
EDITOR’S PICKS
- 45% of Nigerian Girls Become Mothers Before 18 — World Bank
- ECOWAS Faces Historic Defection as Three West African Nations Withdraw
- Netanyahu to Meet Trump at White House Next Week
This unexpected development has cast doubt on the IBF eliminator, with boxing insiders questioning whether the bout between Ajagba and Bakole can still take place as planned in less than three months.
According to Ring Magazine, the IBF is now uncertain about how to determine its next mandatory challenger, especially as the Ajagba-Bakole winner was initially set to face Dubois for the world title.
Dubois, 27, who famously knocked out Anthony Joshua in five rounds at Wembley Stadium last September, was scheduled for his second defence of the IBF title, which he claimed after Oleksandr Usyk vacated the belt. However, the British champion was medically evaluated in Saudi Arabia and missed Thursday’s news conference before being officially withdrawn from the fight later that evening.
“If he is ill, I hope he gets better soon, and I’m looking forward to Saturday and having a great show,” Parker told reporters before learning that Bakole would be his new opponent.
Bakole, 33, has gained a reputation as one of the most feared heavyweights in the division, particularly after his brutal fifth-round stoppage of previously unbeaten American prospect Jared Anderson in California last August. Following that win, Bakole boldly declared, “You don’t stand with Martin Bakole. I am a big man and I am a machine. No one wants to fight me.”
Before Bakole’s selection, former cruiserweight champion Lawrence Okolie, heavyweight contender David Adeleye, and unbeaten Mourad Aliev were all considered as potential opponents for Parker.
Some boxing analysts believe Bakole’s decision to fight Parker rather than wait for Ajagba is a riskier move, as the Congolese fighter was regarded as a stronger and more experienced opponent than Ajagba, making the Nigerian an arguably easier route to a title shot.
FURTHER READING
- [VIDEO] Commotion Rocks PDP BoT Meeting as Faction Confront Each Other
- NiDCOM Prepares for Deportation of Nigerians from U.S
- BREAKING: Sowore Pleads Not Guilty to Cybercrime Charges Filed by Police IG
Ajagba (20-1, 14 KOs), who had been eagerly preparing for the eliminator, recently taunted Bakole on Instagram with the message, “Coming to whoop your ass the Naija way.” The ‘Silent Roller’ has won five straight fights since his only professional loss to Frank Sanchez in October 2021 and was on the verge of securing the biggest opportunity of his career.
The IBF eliminator was set to be part of a blockbuster Saudi Arabian card organized by boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, featuring high-profile matchups like Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando Romero and Devin Haney vs. Jose Ramirez.
The IBF had recently canceled a scheduled purse bid hearing for the Ajagba-Bakole fight, allowing promoters BOXXER and Top Rank to negotiate terms privately. However, with Bakole now fighting Parker—who has victories over heavy hitters like Deontay Wilder and Zhilei Zhang—Ajagba’s world title hopes remain uncertain, pending the outcome of Saturday’s clash in Riyadh.
Click here to watch our video of the week:
Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:
Kindly contact us at ekohotblog@gmail.com. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.
Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.
Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611
