Efe Ajagba Stops Charles Martin in Round 4 After Early Scare

Las Vegas, NV, USA - Efe Ajagba – Record: 21-1-1 (15 KOs) – weathered a heavy left hand and early confusion before stopping former IBF champion Charles Martin – Record: 30-5-1 (27 KOs) – in the fourth round on Sunday night at the Apex Sports Complex.

What began as a measured southpaw-orthodox chess match turned violent in the third round, when Martin’s sharp straight left buckled Ajagba and briefly shifted momentum. The veteran southpaw appeared to have found his rhythm, capitalizing on angles and timing to disrupt the top-10 contender.

But the turnaround was immediate.

Moments after absorbing the clean left hand, Ajagba responded with a thunderous right of his own, dropping Martin and flipping the fight’s trajectory in an instant. The knockdown changed the energy of the contest. Ajagba pressed forward behind heavy right hands and left hooks, wobbling Martin repeatedly before the bell rescued the former champion.

The end came quickly in Round 4.

Ajagba resumed control early, landing consecutive right hands that sent Martin to the canvas for a second time. Though Martin rose, he was visibly compromised. Another hard right forced him onto the ropes, and a finishing left hook prompted the referee to step in and wave off the bout.

The official result: TKO, Round 4.

Early Rounds Told Two Stories

The opening frame was cautious, with Martin landing sharp counters from the backfoot and Ajagba driving forward behind right hands. Round 2 saw Martin enjoy his best sustained spell, mixing body work with straight lefts and momentarily neutralizing Ajagba’s jab.

Through two rounds, the fight was competitive.

Round 3, however, defined the night.

Martin’s straight left briefly stunned Ajagba and suggested an upset window was opening. Instead, Ajagba’s composure held. His response — a crushing right hand that sent Martin down — was the type of moment that separates contenders from gatekeepers.

What It Means

For Ajagba, the victory reinforces his position inside the heavyweight top tier. He showed durability, recovery ability, and finishing instinct — qualities that matter at higher levels.

The knockdown he scored immediately after being hurt will stand out as the defining sequence of the fight. Rather than retreat or reset, Ajagba asserted control and closed the show.

For Martin, now 39, the loss underscores the narrowing window of opportunity. The southpaw displayed flashes of timing and sharpness, but once forced into sustained exchanges, the younger man’s power and physicality proved decisive.

Final Assessment

Ajagba did what a top-10 heavyweight is expected to do against an aging former champion — but not without drama.

He was tested, responded, and finished.

In a division where hesitation can stall momentum, Ajagba delivered both resilience and authority on the same night.