A critical look at the past week in boxing
BIGGEST WINNER
Efe Ajagba – The Nigerian heavyweight put on a terrible performance in a dull bout but he deserved his unanimous decision victory over Stephan Shaw in a 10-round match on Saturday at the Turning Point Resort & Casino in Verona, New York. Ajagba (17-1, 13 KOs) simply beat Shaw, throwing and knocking down more punches than his opponent (111 out of 430 to 78 out of 341, according to CompuBox). Thus, the score is 96-94 on all three cards. Now, he has won two straight games since his defeat to Frank Sanchez in October 2021, after which he required surgery to repair damage to both elbows. Of course, Ajagba, who was heralded as a future champion, will have to do more than he did against Shaw if he hopes to one day win the grand slam. 90 of the 111 punches he landed were jabs, meaning he averaged 2.1 powerful hits per round (to 3.0 for Shaw). He has a good slot but needs more variety than that to succeed at the highest level. Can 28 years old pass? Based on what I saw on Saturday, I would be surprised. I just don’t see the possibility around.
THE BIGGEST FAILERS
Stephen Shaw – Shaw (18-1, 13 KOs) blew away the biggest opportunity of his career, the chance that came when Ajagba’s original opponent, Oscar Rivas, withdrew due to an eye injury and he took it. was asked to replace a few weeks ago. The goal should be to seize such an opportunity, giving yourself every chance to win by expending every bit of your energy in the ring. Instead, Shaw fought passively, allowing Ajagba to outmaneuver him for most of the match. And he still won four rounds, meaning that just a little more effort might be enough for him to raise his hand and change his career. He is quicker and more athletic than Ajagba. He may even be more skillful than the winner. He was simply not working, a fact that would probably haunt him. The opportunity to fight a famous opponent in a main event on national television (ESPN) does not come often. Shaw may never have such an opportunity again. All that the 30-year-old from St. What Louis can do now is learn from the disappointment and fight harder every step of the way.
BIGGEST WINNER II
Rice Jonathan – Rice (16-6-1, 11 KOs) was luckier than effective against the previously undefeated Guido Vianello on the undercard Ajagba-Shaw. The 2016 Olympic athlete from Italy overcame and beat Rice in most of the six rounds of a scheduled 10-round heavyweight bout, giving a clear hand-to-hand lead in the process. Then, in the seventh inning, a right hit from Rice caused a large slit above Vianello’s left eye that prevented him from continuing. Thus, Rice, a late replacement for Shaw, emerges with a technical knock-out victory. Rice may be in good shape and capable, but suffers from the same disease as Shaw, which is passivity. It’s easy for me to say from the safety of my office that warriors should take risks that could result in injury or unconsciousness but isn’t that part of the deal? Rice has beaten potential rival undefeated second in his last three games, after knocking out Michael Coffie in 2021 (and then rematching in a rematch). If he wants to build on his recent success, he needs to push himself even harder. Otherwise, he will waste his talent.
MOST EXCELLENT
Finishing rice-Vianello – You never know what boxing will throw at you. Referee Benjy Esteves initially ruled that the cut above Vianello’s eye was caused by a head collision, which would have made the game a scoreline and gave Vianello the win. England are leading 59-55, 59-55 and 58-56. However, an official from India’s National Sports Commission Oneida, the card’s watchdog, saw in the replays that a punch had caused the wound and in fact ordered Esteves to take it upon himself. considered before making a final decision. That’s how Rice ended up with a TKO victory. New York State does not use replay under any circumstances, which makes the commission official’s decision compelling. Does Oneida even have a replay rule? Does not matter. The fact that the officials have come to the correct decision is gratifying. Other prominent commissions can learn from Oneida’s example.
