Nigerian heavyweight boxer Efe Ajagba will face Martin Bakole in an International Boxing Federation title eliminator bout in May, with the winner becoming the mandatory challenger for Daniel Dubois’ world heavyweight title.
The bout, set to take place in the United States, will feature on a stacked card organised by Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh, alongside high-profile matchups including Ryan Garcia vs Rolando Romero and Devin Haney vs Jose Ramirez.
Ajagba, who boasts an impressive record of 20 wins and just one loss with 14 knockouts, recently fired a warning shot at his Congolese opponent by sharing footage of his devastating knockout victory over Brian Howard on social media.
The eliminator bout became possible after both Agit Kabayel and Zhilei Zhang withdrew from facing Bakole, opening the door for the seventh-ranked Ajagba to step in.
Bakole, who is ranked No. 4 in the IBF standings, has been in formidable form, particularly after his fifth-round demolition of previously unbeaten American prospect Jared Anderson in California last August.
The stakes are particularly high as the winner will become mandatory challenger for Dubois, who defends his IBF heavyweight title against Joseph Parker on February 22.
A potential unification bout against the winner of the Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury rematch could also be on the horizon for the eventual mandatory challenger.
Ajagba is currently riding a five-bout winning streak since his lone career defeat to Frank Sanchez in 2021, with his most recent victory coming via split decision against Italian Olympian Guido Vianello.
