Via Mark Eisner: Heavyweight prospect Efe Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs) takes on his replacement Stephan Shaw (18-0, 13 KOs) in a 12th round match on ESPN tonight at Turning Stone Resort & Casino, Verona. The event begins at 10:00 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN+.
Ajagba probably wished he was still scheduled to face Oscar Rivas instead of the cunning Shaw, but he was injured and had to be substituted shortly.
Boxing News 24 will update live & tonight’s match results below.
In the main support bout, heavyweight Guido Vianello (10-0-1, 9 KOs) faced off against the mighty Jonnie Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs) in a 10-round bout.
“It is seen as a kind of face-to-face confrontation between strong contenders. I’d say Ajagba is the lesser known one, but he’s a bit underwhelming here despite being a better name. What do you think of all that,” Max Kellerman told Max on boxing about tonight’s main heavyweight bout between Efe Ajagba and Stephan Shaw in a Top promotion event on ESPN.
Tonight’s bet:
Guide Vianello vs Jonnie Ricey
Abraham Nova vs Adam Lopez
Haven Brady vs Ruben Cervera
Bryce Mills vs. Margarito Hernandez
Floyd Diaz vs Edwin Rodriguez
Brian Norman Jr vs. Rodrigo Coria
Bruce Carrington vs. Juan Antonio Lopez
Dante Benjamin Jr vs Emmanuel Austin
“I like this match for both of them. Efe Ajagba is a guy that everyone is adjusting to and everyone in the room knows what he’s looking at, it’s that big right hand,” Andre Ward said of 6’6″ Efe Ajagba, who Frank Sanchez recently beat.
“He is endowed with strength, and it was a natural shot. As we saw in his lone loss, if you were going to beat Efe Ajagba, you probably wouldn’t be standing in front of him to trade. It will overtake him, and that’s what Stephan Shaw brings to the table.
“He’s a good boxer; he is patient; he was coached by my former Olympic coach, Bashi Abdullah. So he taught well, and that was the key to victory. Can Efe Ajagba do anything other than just score to make up for Shaw’s boxing?
“Can Shaw use his right arm and find another item in this fight with Efe Ajagba?” ward said.
“The first was Ajagba’s loss to Sanchez. Do you know what happens when a big, rough boxer fights a Cuban boxer from an amateur background? You can get an L,” Kellerman said. “That doesn’t mean the end of your lead status. It just means you put it wrong.
