Ajagba, 20-1-1 with 14 knockouts, has rebuilt his record through rounds and discipline. Five straight wins before the Bakole majority draw, fights where he started with the jab and set the pace from the opening bell. He fights tall behind a firm, active jab, keeps his chin tucked, and resets his feet after the straight right. When he keeps his structure and works behind the jab, he controls range and makes heavyweights reach and miss.
He cannot lose concentration for a single round.
Against Bakole he had stretches where the jab went soft and the exchanges got messy. Judges at this weight look for effective aggression, clean punching, who is pressing the action. If Ajagba gives away rounds by circling without scoring, he puts himself at the mercy of three cards again.
Martin, 30-4-1 with 27 knockouts, is an old-school southpaw puncher. Wide stance. Straight left down the middle. He works the body when he plants his feet and he will let his hands go if you stand in front of him. He nearly folded Jared Anderson with that left in 2023. The power is still there.
The question is the legs.
Fifteen months out at 39 shows up after round six. The wind shortens. The legs stop driving. A veteran starts pawing with shots instead of stepping in behind them. If Martin cannot cut the ring, get his lead foot outside, and close distance with purpose, he will spend long stretches trying to track Ajagba behind the jab.
The tactics are clear.
Ajagba has to start with the jab and keep it busy. Double it, then bring the straight right behind it. Keep Martin turning clockwise, away from that left hand. When he finishes combinations, he must reset his feet and keep his right glove home. Martin will be hunting that counter all night.
If Ajagba loads up and squares up, Martin’s straight left and short right hook off the pivot are waiting. Southpaws live on that mistake. One clean shot at this weight changes everything.
This fight is about discipline and conditioning. Ajagba at 31 should have the stronger conditioning and steadier pace. Martin will try to drag him into exchanges and make it physical along the ropes.
If Ajagba controls range with the jab and avoids trading, he wins rounds clean and pulls away late. If he stands and trades, he gives a seasoned puncher the exact fight he wants.
Sunday will show whether Ajagba is a tall heavyweight with a good jab or a contender ready to press for a belt.
Zuffa Boxing 3: Ajagba vs. Martin – Sunday, February 15th, 2026
- Venue: Meta Apex, Las Vegas, NV
- Promoter: Dana White – Zuffa Boxing
- Media: Exclusively on Paramount+
- Time: Main Card begins at 9:00 PM ET / 6:00 PM PT
Efe Ajagba vs. Charles Martin card
Efe Ajagba vs. Charles Martin, heavyweight
Umar Dzambekov vs. Ahmed El Biali, light heavyweight
Abel Mejia vs. Jaybrio Pe Benito, lightweight
Leo Ruiz vs. Casey Streeter, middleweight
Antonio Woods vs. Mark Bueke, middleweight
Oswaldo Molina vs. Joshua Clark, lightweight
Emiliano Alvarado vs. Devin Gantt, super bantamweight
Dariial Kuchmenov vs. Jorge Lagunas, lightweight
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