Heavyweight Prospect Efe Ajagba returning on 7th March

[Enlightened-One]

Razvan Cojanu seems to be feather-fisted and lacking durability.

He’s only stopped 39% of his opponents. And has recently been KO’d in double-quick fashion (inside two rounds) by the likes of Daniel Dubois and Luis Ortiz (with the Brit having competed in 25% fewer bouts than Ajagba has).

By the time Efe Ajagba steps foot inside the ring to face Razvan Cojanu, the journeyman would have only managed to have won one of his bouts in the last 3½ years (against an opponent that has failed to win 75% of his 24 bouts).

During the last 3½ years, Razvan Cojanu has lost four of his last five bouts, twice by way of KO.

If people prefer to gauge a fighters’ ability based on the proverbial "eyeball test", then please feel free to watch one of Cojanu’s bouts, because he’s awful!

Therefore, it’s safe to say that Ajagba’s next opponent is vastly inferior to the previous four men he faced.

I wonder if Ajagba’s handlers have decided to slow down his career progression, feeling that he needs more time to develop his skills (based on his performances against Kiladze and Demirezen)?

[margaret thatcher]

Eww, Cojanu. Another overused punch bag

Though lol I remember some posters trying to hype Ortiz's win over him

[Boxtune]

He is ranked 4th in Romania in boxrec rating. I like to see efe with Bogdan Dinu who is ranked 1st in Romania that gave Pulev big gash over his left eye ...

at 6ft 7.5" Razvan cojanu is a bum (he could have improved due to good oppositions now) , just curious how they size up height wise at face off.

[margaret thatcher]

One thing I'll thank Raz for is his part in giving us this beautiful KO

[Boxtune]

Trainer Ronnie Shields is not doing Ajagba any favour by slowing down his pace. What is important if Ajagba can get back to hls feet after every knock down.

We remember wladmier klitcho got knocked out in 3 fights in early stage of his career, before achieving greatness for 12 continues years.

[Boxtune]

Efe would be a lamb to the slaughter more or less.

at this point I'm inclined to agree.

Clean Miller is a bum, wait until you see. It's insult to put hard working HW like ajagba in same bracket with fat lazy pig drug cheat like miller.

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

This fight blows.

[margaret thatcher]

Hard punching black guy means only 1 thing vs big Raz.........KO 2

Though I kid you not some dudes here were trying to hype Ortiz's win over Cojanu

[Jeff_lacy_ko]

Seriously??? Cojanu is awful

The fact parker didnt obliterate him is telling about parkers ceiling

[margaret thatcher]

Ya, I think it was Geto and Mr. Coast drinking that 'well parker didn't stop him so this is impressive!' cool aid. Excuses for the Don Dennis loss were even included. Those guys are knowledagble boxing fans so stooping to hype a win over big Raz is lower than I expected

Cojanu is a big stiff, never scored a halfway decent win. Lost to an even fatter poundshop version of Andy Ruiz, dropped by nobodies, barely eeking out wins over Grover young, usually obliterated or losing every round vs any remotely good opponent he faced. Iago Kiladze would beat the sh!t out of him too.

He is basically a slightly higher level Daniel Martz, Ajagba's team know that a brutal timber KO is pretty much guarnteed with 0 risk

[Best Coast]

He's facing Cojanu.

Not the worst, not the best. Has to keep busy if he's not facing better position.

You're right. It's strictly a stay-busy fight & further proof that Ajagba is now officially on the slow track that so many HW prospects are restricted to these days!!

https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/565200

[tiny_acres]

He's facing Cojanu.

Not the worst, not the best. Has to keep busy if he's not facing better position.

You're right. It's strictly a stay-busy fight & further proof that Ajagba is now officially on the slow track that so many HW prospects are restricted to these days!!

https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/565200

A stay busy fight but Efe is young and he is only 12 fights into his career. I wouldnt judge too much on fast tracking or slow tracking yet.

[SportsRatings]

So now if you ever have a stay-busy fight you are on the "slow track" ?

Ajagba is definitely on the fast-track for a HW, considering his level of competition in just 12 fights. If you grouped HW boxers and compared after 12 fights, he is going faster than about 90%.

The average HW goes as slow as molasses and slow ones go slow as pitch. It doesn't take a lot to go faster than normal, and Cozanu is better than most stay-busy opponents which says a lot.

[tiny_acres]

So now if you ever have a stay-busy fight you are on the "slow track" ?

Ajagba is definitely on the fast-track for a HW, considering his level of competition in just 12 fights. If you grouped HW boxers and compared after 12 fights, he is going faster than about 90%.

The average HW goes as slow as molasses and slow ones go slow as pitch. It doesn't take a lot to go faster than normal, and Cozanu is better than most stay-busy opponents which says a lot.

x2

[margaret thatcher]

Agree for the most part, but Cojanu sucks. He is slow as hell, has awful technique, is easy to hit, has no skill, no power, does nothing well at all. He is barely better than Grover Young. He lost to a 300 pound journeyman midget. He got blasted out by Don Dennis, got dropped by a total nobody with a girl's name, He has 1 win in like 4 years (decision vs 5-13), and funny enough what might be his best career win had actually been a draw

He gets these fights because he has the desirable combo of being huge, yet a total punching bag who poses 0 threat. He is one of these overly recycled sure losers who becomes eventually 'accepted' simply because so many other guys have beaten up on him that it's hard to particularly bash the next guy who does it. He should disappear or stay several levels below

I'm not the biggest Cojanu fan out there

[Best Coast]

So now if you ever have a stay-busy fight you are on the "slow track" ?

Ajagba is definitely on the fast-track for a HW, considering his level of competition in just 12 fights. If you grouped HW boxers and compared after 12 fights, he is going faster than about 90%.

The average HW goes as slow as molasses and slow ones go slow as pitch. It doesn't take a lot to go faster than normal, and Cozanu is better than most stay-busy opponents which says a lot.

You are misconstruing what I said. Having a stay-busy fight doesnt put you on the slow-track but taking on weaker opposition DOES put you on the slow track!! I like Efe Ajagba and for many months thought he was the brightest of the young HW prospects to emerge from the 2016 Olympics!! But frankly his recent outings have disappointed me. I really hope he turns things around, but right now I have to admit he seems to be losing momentum, especially after getting dropped by Kiladze in his last bout.

In his 10th bout Efe defeated fellow ex-Olympian Ali Demirezen in a clearcut 10-round decision. He took a step-down in opposition in his 11th fight against Iago Kiladze and got knocked down in the 3rd before stopping that journeyman in the 5th.

Now Efe takes another step down vs Cojanu. THAT is why I say Efe has moved onto the slow-track.

He is clearly not the only HW prospect on the slow-track. There are several others;

Ivan Dychko (the guy who beat Ajagba in the 2016 Olympics hasnt fought since July of last year)
Vladislav Sirenko (ex-amateur standout from Ukraine has feasted on tomato cans)
Guido Vianello (ex-Olympian from Italy has done the same. Arum is clearly milking this guy's Olympic pedigree)
Bakhodir Jalolov (ex-Olympian from Uzbekistan inactive as pro since last April while pursuing 2020 Olympic gold)

Even those few HW prospects who have faced tougher opposition are not exactly on the fast-track:

34-year-old Joe Joyce has not fought since last July, although there is talk of him fighting Marco Huck for the Euro HW title.
Filip Hrgovic is probably most highly regarded HW from 2016 Olympics but he has only fought 3 times in the past 13 months.
22-year-old Daniel Dubois is probably the closest to being a fast-track HW prospect, having fought 5 times in the past 11 months but his competition hasnt been that great.

[lazboy]

Before he improves his competition he should lift his game. He looked like a stiff amateur in his last outing, was not an performance worthy of the prospect status aside from him having a big punch.

Can he lift his game? If not, yea sure take a gamble and lift the competition and see if he’ll get through however I feel his career will be short lived.

[Enlightened-One]

A year ago I was ridiculed for pointing out Ajagba’s stylistic weaknesses, lack of experience and also his obvious need for time to learn his trade.

People had also granted Ajagba an honorary rite of passage to being considered as a top-ten world-rated heavyweight without even requiring the need for validation… to the point they thought he should be matched against the following fighters:

• Joseph Parker
• Hughie Fury
• Derrick Chisora
• Bryant Jennings
• Dominique Breazeale
• Jarell Miller
• Joy Joyce
• Oscar Rivas
• Adam Kownacki

And now it seems that common sense has prevailed, and people have finally come around to my way of thinking.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Ajagba and consider him a decent prospect, but he’s only 25 years of age and has plenty of time on his side to learn his ring craft and become a very good fighter.

So I’m admittedly rather pleased that his handlers have decided to slow down his career progression, feeling that he needs more time to develop his skills (based on his performances against Kiladze and Demirezen).

[oogiebe]

A year ago I was ridiculed for pointing out Ajagba’s stylistic weaknesses, lack of experience and also his obvious need for time to learn his trade.

People had also granted Ajagba an honorary rite of passage to being considered as a top-ten world-rated heavyweight without even requiring the need for validation… to the point they thought he should be matched against the following fighters:

• Joseph Parker
• Hughie Fury
• Derrick Chisora
• Bryant Jennings
• Dominique Breazeale
• Jarell Miller
• Joy Joyce
• Oscar Rivas
• Adam Kownacki

And now it seems that common sense has prevailed, and people have finally come around to my way of thinking.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Ajagba and consider him a decent prospect, but he’s only 25 years of age and has plenty of time on his side to learn his ring craft and become a very good fighter.

So I’m admittedly rather pleased that his handlers have decided to slow down his career progression, feeling that he needs more time to develop his skills (based on his performances against Kiladze and Demirezen).

LOL! No, you were ridiculed over your comps to Dychko based on him 'manhandling' Efe in the ams when Ajagba was starting out. No one on this forum supports or supported Efe more than a promising prospect. Get over yourself.

[Enlightened-One]

A year ago I was ridiculed for pointing out Ajagba’s stylistic weaknesses, lack of experience and also his obvious need for time to learn his trade.

People had also granted Ajagba an honorary rite of passage to being considered as a top-ten world-rated heavyweight without even requiring the need for validation… to the point they thought he should be matched against the following fighters:

• Joseph Parker
• Hughie Fury
• Derrick Chisora
• Bryant Jennings
• Dominique Breazeale
• Jarell Miller
• Joy Joyce
• Oscar Rivas
• Adam Kownacki

And now it seems that common sense has prevailed, and people have finally come around to my way of thinking.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Ajagba and consider him a decent prospect, but he’s only 25 years of age and has plenty of time on his side to learn his ring craft and become a very good fighter.

So I’m admittedly rather pleased that his handlers have decided to slow down his career progression, feeling that he needs more time to develop his skills (based on his performances against Kiladze and Demirezen).

LOL! No, you were ridiculed over your comps to Dychko based on him 'manhandling' Efe in the ams when Ajagba was starting out. No one on this forum supports or supported Efe more than a promising prospect. Get over yourself.

You have amnesia.

Dychko easily beat the crude, clumsy wildly-swinging Ajagba in the amateurs.

And there was a thread created that contained a poll, discussing Efe’s current ability to beat the aforementioned fighters. The poll received 70 votes.

If an equivalent poll was created today (taking into consideration Ajagba’s last two performances, coupled with an option that included “none of the above”), the voting results would be completely different.

You can live in denial and pretend this didn't happen, if it makes you feel any better.

[Tony1244]

This guy is not a prospect.

[oogiebe]

LOL! No, you were ridiculed over your comps to Dychko based on him 'manhandling' Efe in the ams when Ajagba was starting out. No one on this forum supports or supported Efe more than a promising prospect. Get over yourself.

You have amnesia.

Dychko easily beat the crude, clumsy wildly-swinging Ajagba in the amateurs.

And there was a thread created that contained a poll, discussing Efe’s current ability to beat the aforementioned fighters. The poll received 70 votes.

If an equivalent poll was created today (taking into consideration Ajagba’s last two performances, coupled with an option that included “none of the above”), the voting results would be completely different.

You can live in denial and pretend this didn't happen, if it makes you feel any better.

LOL! There you go again. You are so dependable!

[oogiebe]

This guy is not a prospect.

What do you consider him?

[Enlightened-One]

This guy is not a prospect.

What do you consider him?

Any fighter that has only managed to gain twelve victories as an amateur and also as a professional, without beating any notable names (other than completely shot fighters), should be considered as being a novice rather than a prospect.

I do feel that Ajagba has the talent, athleticism and the right team behind him to progress to becoming an exciting prospect that might one day be capable of competeing at world level.

[Tony1244]

This guy is not a prospect.

What do you consider him?

A boxer. A prospect to me is someone who has a chance of being an excellent fighter.