Zuffa Boxing opens with Martin vs Ajagba

Ajagba entered a ten-round draw with Martin Bakole last May. It was a respectable performance. He boxed well at times and handled Bakole’s size over long stretches better than expected. Before that, Ajagba defeated Guido Vianello in 2024 by split decision. His only career loss came in 2021, when he was knocked out by Frank Sanchez over ten rounds, a fight that made the ceiling clear.

Martin’s recent record is harder to pin down. He fought four times in the last four years and went 2 2 in that stretch. He has losses to Jared Anderson and Luis Ortiz and wins against Matthew McKinney and Devin Vargas. Activity was limited and results were uneven.

Martin’s career peak came quickly and faded just as quickly. He won the IBF title in 2016 when Vyacheslav Glazkov suffered a knee injury, then lost the belt in his first defense to Anthony Joshua by knockout in the second round. He never regained momentum after that night.

Zuffa seems to be starting cautiously, signing recognizable names whose careers have stalled and placing them in a controlled environment. In theory, that approach could work if the promotion committed to building its own structure around them. The casual audience will follow presentation more than pedigree, and the core boxing crowd will watch regardless. Whether that’s enough to carry a league long-term is another question entirely.