Efe Ajagba says KO of Charles Martin puts all heavyweights 'on notice'
Feb 16, 2026 • 12:19 AM ET
Photo from Zuffa BoxingLAS VEGAS – Efe Ajagba added 15 pounds of strength and brawn to his already imposing demeanor, then made former heavyweight champion Charles Martin feel all the ill effects.
Ajagba, 21-1-1 (15 KOs), knocked down Martin twice before uncorking three more unanswered right hands that convinced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the bout by TKO at the 1:11 mark of the fourth round in the Zuffa Boxing main event Sunday at the Apex.
Ajagba, who is ranked in the top 15 by the WBC and IBF, said he respected Martin’s experience to start.
The pair exchanged a few times during the first round, with Ajagba landing the harder rights.
Martin got the better of Ajagba with lefts in the second, and his maneuvering created some of the openings after Ajagba weighed in 15 pounds over his personal-high and looked lumbering at the start.
A hard right by Ajagba decked Martin in the third.
The former champion spit out his mouthpiece upon rising, and Ajagba pursued with an effective barrage that had Martin reeling.
Ajagba then dropped Martin again in the fourth, and set him up for the finish.
“I’m ready to fight anyone in the division,” Ajagba said. “I’m ranked in the top 10, but no one is saying my name.
“I’m putting the heavyweight division on notice.”
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
