LAKE TAHOE, Nevada (Sept. 29, 2023) — Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba hopes to take a giant leap towards a title opportunity when faces upset-minded Australian Joe Goodall in the 10-round main event Saturday, Nov. 4 at Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. This will be the first boxing event at the venue, which opened earlier this month.

Ajagba and Goodall fought as amateurs, with Goodall earning a decision in the semifinals of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets are now on sale.

“Efe Ajagba is an elite heavyweight who could challenge for a world title soon, but he has a tall order against Joe Goodall. This will be a sensational card, as we also have emerging lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla against a tough Diego Torres,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “We are privileged to promote the first boxing event at Tahoe Blue Event Center, a spectacular new venue.”

“After his thrilling win in July, I’m happy to get Joe a fight of this magnitude,” said Lou DiBella, President of DiBella Entertainment. “Joe beat Efe in the amateurs. Sometimes, fate works in your favor. This will be a sensational fight between two knockout punchers. The fans are the big winners.”

Ajagba (18-1, 13 KOs), a 2016 Olympian, is one of the division’s fiercest punchers. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound slugger debuted in the paid ranks in July 2017 and notched six first-round knockouts in his first eight fights. He suffered his first defeat in October 2021 against Frank Sanchez. Following the loss, Ajagba had surgery on both his elbows and returned in August 2022 to stop Hungarian veteran Jozsef Darmos in the second round. The 29-year-old will make his third appearance of 2023, following a decision win over Stephan Shaw in January and a disqualification victory against Zhan Kossobutskiy in August.

“This is a great opportunity for me to close out the year with a big victory and move closer to a world title opportunity,” Ajagba said. “Goodall is a big, powerful heavyweight, but I am confident in my preparation, and I will do what it takes to be victorious.”

Goodall (10-1-1, 9 KOs), a 31-year-old Australia native, made his pro debut in 2018. He stopped five of his first six opponents before fighting to a majority draw against Christian Ndzie Tsoye in August 2018. He made his U.S. debut with a first-round knockout against Matt McKinney in March 2022. In his next fight, Goodall suffered a decision loss against unbeaten compatriot Justis Huni. He bounced back last September with a third-round drubbing over Arsene Fosso. In his last outing, he scored his most impressive victory yet, a sixth-round TKO against Stephan Shaw in July on a Top Rank on ESPN bill in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

Goodall said, “Efe Ajagba is a world-class boxer and a huge challenge for me. This is an opportunity, though, for me to come to America and show the world what I am capable of. It’s a massive show and I’m genuinely honored to be a part of it. When I signed with DiBella Entertainment, I told Lou that I only wanted the big fights. I want to put myself into a position to fight for a world title, and I believe beating Efe will do that.”