Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba has revealed that he nearly knocked Tyson Fury out during their sparring sessions, as Fury searches for new opponents amid ongoing contract disputes with Anthony Joshua. Both fighters agreed to meet this year, but disagreements have emerged because Joshua’s contract requires the fight to be held in the UK, whereas Fury’s agreement allows for more location flexibility.
Fury and his camp are aiming to hold the fight on November 20 in New York City, but Joshua remains firm on having the bout at Wembley Stadium. Due to these complications, the 38-year-old Fury has started calling out various contenders, including his former rival Oleksandr Usyk, along with Daniel Dubois, Agit Kabayel, and Filip Hrgovic.
Ajagba, who has sparred with Fury many times, shared his experience in an interview with FightHype, claiming, “I almost knocked him out in sparring. Everyone knows it, and I have video evidence.” He explained that although he has a recording, he prefers not to release it unless Fury begins trash-talking. Ajagba uses the footage primarily to review and improve his skills, respecting Fury’s wishes not to share it publicly.
The 32-year-old Ajagba boasts a professional record of 21 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw, with 15 knockouts. His only defeat came against Frank Sanchez in 2021, and he drew with Martin Bakole last May. Since then, Ajagba has fought only once, achieving a stoppage win over former world champion Charles Martin earlier this year.
Expressing his ambitions, Ajagba mentioned that he wants to face Fury, Usyk, Kabayel, or Hrgovic—anyone ranked in the top 10. Currently, Oleksandr Usyk had held the unified heavyweight titles until recently surrendering them ahead of what might be his retirement fight. Following that, Kabayel became the WBC champion, while Hrgovic claimed the vacant IBF belt by defeating Moses Itauma in August. Murat Gassiev holds the WBA title, and Daniel Dubois secured the WBO championship in May, with an upcoming rematch against Fabio Wardley scheduled for October.
Fan Take: This revelation about Ajagba nearly flooring Fury in sparring adds an intriguing underdog element to the heavyweight scene and highlights the depth of talent lurking behind the top names. If Fury’s ongoing contract complications push him toward fights with rising contenders like Ajagba, fans could witness fresh, electrifying matchups that invigorate the division and keep the heavyweight championship landscape dynamic.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
