Efe Ajagba vs. Oscar Rivas | Sky Sports - 14 January 2023 (OFF)

[Ruthless-RKO]

Press Release

The Top Rank on ESPN 2023 slate kicks off with a high-powered heavyweight doubleheader Saturday, Jan. 14, at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

The 10-round main event is a battle of big-punching Olympians, as Efe “The Silent Roller” Ajagba looks to author a signature win over Oscar “Kaboom” Rivas. In the 10-round co-feature, 2016 Italian Olympian Guido “The Gladiator” Vianello takes a seismic step up in class against fellow unbeaten Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw.

Ajagba-Rivas and Vianello-Shaw will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.

Undercard bouts will stream live and exclusively on ESPN+ and includes a 10-round junior lightweight tilt between Adam “BluNose” Lopez and Abraham “El Super” Nova.

Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Groupe Yvon Michel (GYM), tickets priced from $49 to $89 go on sale Friday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. ET, with pre-sale for TS Rewards Members on Thursday, Dec. 1, and can be purchased at the Turning Stone Resort Casino Box Office, charge by phone by calling 800.771.7711 or online at Ticketmaster.com.

“The heavyweight division is loaded with talent, and we have two 50/50 matchups that will see a pair of contenders emerge at Turning Stone,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum.

Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs), a 2016 Nigerian Olympian, quickly established himself as one of the division’s heaviest hitters following his pro debut in July 2017. He tallied six first-round knockouts in his first eight bouts, using his 6’6 frame and sledgehammer right hand to dispose of his opposition. Last April, Ajagba utilized his right hand to blast out Brian Howard in a Knockout of the Year contender. Following an October 2021 decision defeat to Frank Sanchez, Ajagba had surgery on both his elbows, returning in August to stop Hungarian veteran Jozsef Darmos in the second round.

“I am injury-free and ready to show the world what I can accomplish when I am 100 percent,” Ajagba said. “I respect Oscar Rivas for accepting the challenge. We will give the fans a great show, but I will be victorious on January 14th.”

Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) is a 2008 Colombian Olympian who moved to Montreal in 2009 to start his professional career. He notched his signature professional victory at Turning Stone in January 2019, knocking out former world title challenger Bryant Jennings in the 12th round. His only blemish came six months later when he traveled to England and dropped a unanimous decision to Dillian Whyte after knocking Whyte down in the ninth round. Since the Whyte defeat, Rivas has fought twice, knocking out Sylvera Louis in three rounds and outlasting Ryan Rozicki by unanimous decision in an all-Canadian showdown while winning the WBC Bridgerweight title. After multiple prospective bouts fell through, Rivas will enter the Ajagba match coming off a nearly 15-month layoff.

Rivas said, “I'm extremely happy to be back in the ring in Verona where I had a lot of success not too long ago. I'm proud of my WBC Bridgerweight title and will be defending it soon, but this opportunity Top Rank gave us at heavyweight was too good to pass up. I also have a lot of respect for Ajagba, and while I agree with him that it will be spectacular for the fans, my skills and my experience will be the difference.”

Vianello (10-0-1, 9 KOs), the fighting pride of Rome, turned pro with great fanfare in December 2018 and won his first seven bouts by stoppage in three rounds or less. His momentum stalled following a 2020 draw against Kingsley Ibeh and an injury-plagued 2021 that saw him fight once. Vianello came back in July and knocked out Rafael Rios in four rounds. Three months later, he returned home to Rome and had thrilled the local fans with a dominating eight-round decision over Jay McFarlane.

Vianello said, “Stephan Shaw is a good, undefeated fighter, but I fight better when presented with top opposition. I look forward to fighting on ESPN as part of a great heavyweight doubleheader.”

Shaw (18-0, 13 KOs), from St. Louis, Missouri, is one of America’s most talented big men, a 6’4, 235-pound boxer-puncher who has knocked out three of his last four foes. He made his Top Rank debut in January, becoming only the third man to knock out Philadelphia’s iron-chinned Joey Dawejko. Shaw tallied three knockdowns in just 2:35 to wipe out Bernardo Marquez in July and then preserved his date against Vianello with an eight-round shutout over Rydell Booker on Nov. 22 in New York City. Shaw will receive his nationally televised big break a decade removed from winning U.S. National and National PAL gold medals as an amateur.

“I’m excited. This is my time to shine. This is my moment,” Shaw said. “I’m ready to go out and there and have some fun. I won’t be under the radar after beating Guido. He’s a good boxer, but I am superior. I will prove that on January 14th.”

Nova (21-1, 15 KOs), born in Puerto Rico and raised in Albany, New York, is returning to the junior lightweight ranks after briefly testing the featherweight waters. Last January at Turning Stone, Nova knocked out late replacement William Encarnacion in the eighth round. That knockout led to an ESPN-televised co-feature in June against southpaw Cuban dynamo Robeisy Ramirez at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. After four competitive rounds, Ramirez knocked Nova out with a left hand in the fifth. Nova returns to the friendly Turning Stone confines against Lopez (16-3, 6 KOs), a native of Glendale, California, who is making his junior lightweight debut. Lopez last fought in May against Encarnacion, surviving knockdowns in the first and third rounds to eke out an eight-round unanimous decision.

In other undercard action:

Junior featherweight Floyd “Cashflow” Diaz (8-0, 3 KOs), the 19-year phenom who went 5-0 with three stoppages in 2022, will fight in his first scheduled eight-rounder.

Rising junior lightweight Haven Brady Jr. (8-0, 4 KOs), who won four fights in 2022, makes his 2023 debut in an eight-rounder against an opponent to be named.

Junior welterweight prospect Bryce Mills (10-1, 4 KOs), the local favorite from Liverpool, New York, aims to increase his winning streak to five against Margarito Hernandez (3-3-1) in a six-rounder.

Cleveland-born light heavyweight Dante Benjamin Jr. (4-0, 2 KOs) fights in his first scheduled six-rounder against fellow unbeaten Emmanueal Austin (6-0, 6 KOs).



Heavyweight doubleheader.

Co-feature bout is Guido Vianello vs. Stephen Shaw

Will take place at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, NY

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

Rivas is still WBC champ at BW isn't he?

They should just scrap that division.

Probably see Alen Babic go for the vacant shot or something.

[keithmoonhangover]

Rivas is still WBC champ at BW isn't he?

They should just scrap that division.

Probably see Alen Babic go for the vacant shot or something.

Maybe the WBC will allow a non-title fight.

[billy nelson]

The Italian will get beat by shaw very easily

[joshj909]

This is now off... Rivas injured his eye in training

[Ruthless-RKO]

I hope it’s rescheduled.

[KiwiRider]

This is some hella lean times if you like heavyweight boxing.
Look at the boxrec rankings, all those big boys sitting on their arses with no fights planned.
No wonder more and more boxing fans are drifting to mma.

[handsofstone]

2023 already off to a flyer

[mickey1975]

This is some hella lean times if you like heavyweight boxing.
Look at the boxrec rankings, all those big boys sitting on their arses with no fights planned.
No wonder more and more boxing fans are drifting to mma.

They’re not. Not here, anyway. Leon Edwards could walk down any street here more or less unrecognised and he reached the very top of the sport,

[maverick23]

This is some hella lean times if you like heavyweight boxing.
Look at the boxrec rankings, all those big boys sitting on their arses with no fights planned.
No wonder more and more boxing fans are drifting to mma.

They’re not. Not here, anyway. Leon Edwards could walk down any street here more or less unrecognised and he reached the very top of the sport,

I think it is pretty lean times in terms of meaningful heavyweight fights. There aren’t many top heavyweights fighting twice or more a year (except AJ who’s fighting 3 times) and even less are having 2 relatively good fights in 2022.

Saying that you could take my comments and apply it to most divisions. Inactivity of the top fighters and/or lack of meaningful fights.

[1150004]

The Italian will get beat by shaw very easily

I agree, he looked mediocre and a bit gun-shy against McFarlane last time out.

[Ruthless-RKO]

This is some hella lean times if you like heavyweight boxing.
Look at the boxrec rankings, all those big boys sitting on their arses with no fights planned.
No wonder more and more boxing fans are drifting to mma.

They’re not. Not here, anyway. Leon Edwards could walk down any street here more or less unrecognised and he reached the very top of the sport,

I think it is pretty lean times in terms of meaningful heavyweight fights. There aren’t many top heavyweights fighting twice or more a year (except AJ who’s fighting 3 times) and even less are having 2 relatively good fights in 2022.

Saying that you could take my comments and apply it to most divisions. Inactivity of the top fighters and/or lack of meaningful fights.

Since the start of covid. Many boxers activity has declined.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oscar Rivas Suffers Eye Injury, Out Of ESPN Main Event 1/14 With Efe Ajagba

An interesting heavyweight fight scheduled for January 14 was scrapped Wednesday.

Quebec-based promoter Yvon Michel announced on Twitter that the contender he represents, Oscar Rivas, suffered an eye injury while sparring recently. On the advice of his doctor, Rivas withdrew from his 10-round fight against Efe Ajagba, which was scheduled for January 14 in Verona, New York.

ESPN was set to televise Ajagba-Rivas as a main event next month from Turning Stone Resort Casino. It was not clear at the time this story was posted if Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs) will still fight that night against another opponent or if promoter Top Rank will find a new main event altogether.

“We have just informed @trboxing that Oscar Rivas unfortunately has to withdraw from his fight against Efe Ajagba on January 14 in Verona,” Michel wrote in his Tweet. “He injured an eye during his last sparring and his doctor forbids him to enter the ring under these conditions.”

Michel didn’t specify what’s wrong with Rivas’ eye.

The Colombian-born Rivas (28-1, 19 KOs) was supposed to end a 14-month layoff against Ajagba. The Montreal-based Rivas has fought only twice since his lone loss – a 12-round, unanimous-decision defeat to London’s Dillian Whyte (29-3, 19 KOs) in July 2019 at O2 Arena in London.

In his most recent action, the 35-year-old Rivas beat previously unbeaten Canadian prospect Ryan Rozicki (16-1, 15 KOs) by unanimous decision in a 10-rounder that took place in October 2021 at Olympia Theatre in Montreal. Rivas won the inaugural WBC bridgerweight title, for boxers between 200 and 224 pounds, by beating Rozicki.

The 28-year-old Ajagba had hoped to re-establish himself as a heavyweight contender by beating Rivas. The 2016 Nigerian Olympian won his only bout by knockout since Cuban contender Frank Sanchez (21-0, 14 KOs) out-pointed him unanimously in their 10-rounder on the Tyson Fury-Deontay Wilder undercard in October 2021 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Should get Mak-Efe

[keithmoonhangover]

This is now off... Rivas injured his eye in training

Isn't that code for...... it's only sold eleven tickets?

[1150004]

This is now off... Rivas injured his eye in training

Isn't that code for...... it's only sold eleven tickets?

Cynic

[1150004]

I've had a look at the WBC Bridger weight rankings and at eighteen there is a one Harsh Gill (no I haven't heard of him either)

Interesting Facts:

Eight fights, four against debutants, five of his fights were four rounders and last time he picked up a regional Cruiserweight belt

https://boxrec.com/en/box-pro/919496

[1150004]

And here he is winning title title.

[tiny_acres]

This is some hella lean times if you like heavyweight boxing.
Look at the boxrec rankings, all those big boys sitting on their arses with no fights planned.
No wonder more and more boxing fans are drifting to mma.

They’re not. Not here, anyway. Leon Edwards could walk down any street here more or less unrecognised and he reached the very top of the sport,

I think it is pretty lean times in terms of meaningful heavyweight fights. There aren’t many top heavyweights fighting twice or more a year (except AJ who’s fighting 3 times) and even less are having 2 relatively good fights in 2022.

Saying that you could take my comments and apply it to most divisions. Inactivity of the top fighters and/or lack of meaningful fights.

AJ hasn't fought 3 times in a year since 2016

[1150004]

.

[maverick23]

They’re not. Not here, anyway. Leon Edwards could walk down any street here more or less unrecognised and he reached the very top of the sport,

I think it is pretty lean times in terms of meaningful heavyweight fights. There aren’t many top heavyweights fighting twice or more a year (except AJ who’s fighting 3 times) and even less are having 2 relatively good fights in 2022.

Saying that you could take my comments and apply it to most divisions. Inactivity of the top fighters and/or lack of meaningful fights.

AJ hasn't fought 3 times in a year since 2016

I know - I was taking the piss because Eddie was saying he’d be out in December and then out 3 times next year. Yet nothing announced and no trainer.

[tiny_acres]

I think it is pretty lean times in terms of meaningful heavyweight fights. There aren’t many top heavyweights fighting twice or more a year (except AJ who’s fighting 3 times) and even less are having 2 relatively good fights in 2022.

Saying that you could take my comments and apply it to most divisions. Inactivity of the top fighters and/or lack of meaningful fights.

AJ hasn't fought 3 times in a year since 2016

I know - I was taking the piss because Eddie was saying he’d be out in December and then out 3 times next year. Yet nothing announced and no trainer.

Sorry
I wish contenders in all divisions fought at least 3 times a year