Ajagba steps up prep for Martin fight News

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Ajagba steps up prep for Martin fight

By Daily Sports Nigeria on January 29, 2026

Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba has stepped up preparations for his February 14 bout against former IBF champion Charles Martin, posting a video of his training routine on Instagram, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The 31-year-old shared footage of his endurance training and jogs with the caption, “Fight date 2/14.”

Ajagba will headline Zuffa Boxing’s third Paramount+ card on Valentine’s Day at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The bout represents an intriguing pairing for the upstart promotion’s series aimed at showcasing rising talent. It also revives a previously planned matchup that was once scheduled by Top Rank for November 2023.

Ajagba, 20-1-1 (14 KOs), the 2016 Olympian who represented Nigeria, parted ways with Top Rank after declining to fight Frank Sanchez in an ordered IBF title eliminator. The 31-year-old was unhappy with the purse offering despite Sampson Boxing winning the purse bid.

Martin, 30-4-1 (27 KOs), briefly held the IBF heavyweight title after winning it in January 2016, but lost it in his first defence to Anthony Joshua two months later. The 39-year-old southpaw has fought just 10 times in nearly 10 years since that loss, providing stern tests for rising stars Jared Anderson and Adam Kownacki.

His last outing was a knockout victory over Matthew McKinney in November 2024 in Redwood City, California.

The Valentine’s Day show is the third of three cards Zuffa Boxing has scheduled over a four-weekend span, following events on January 23 and January 30. All three are listed on the Nevada State Athletic Commission schedule.

The cards mark the first boxing events on a Paramount Skydance platform since Showtime’s exit from the sport at the end of 2023.

Source Punch Ng

Posted January 29, 2026