Ajagba Stops Martin at Zuffa Boxing
Efe Ajagba dropped Charles Martin twice for a Round 4 TKO victory at Zuffa Boxing 3, then called out unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk. The Dana White-promoted event also featured Umar Dzambekov's Round 2 KO of Ahmed Elbiali and Jaybrio Pe Benito's Round 3 stoppage of Abel Mejia. Post-event drama included Dana White clashing with Eddie Hearn.
- Charles Martin is a former IBF heavyweight world champion, but his 85-day reign in 2016 is the second-shortest in the history of the heavyweight division. He won the vacant title after his opponent, Vyacheslav Glazkov, suffered a knee injury, and then lost it in his first defense to Anthony Joshua. - The event was the third for Zuffa Boxing, a new promotion fronted by UFC CEO Dana White and backed by Saudi Arabia's Sela. Zuffa Boxing aims to apply the UFC's centralized, promoter-driven model to boxing and bypass the sport's traditional sanctioning bodies. - The post-fight war of words between Dana White and Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn stems from fundamental disagreements on the future of boxing. Hearn has criticized Zuffa's plan for its own titles as "cringe," while White has accused Hearn of being part of boxing's problems and lacking vision. - This was a much-needed win for Efe Ajagba, whose previous fight in May 2025 ended in a controversial majority draw against Martin Bakole. The victory improved his professional record to 21 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw. - For the 39-year-old Martin, the loss marked the end of a 15-month layoff from the ring and was his third defeat in his last five fights. - Zuffa Boxing 3 took place at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on February 15, 2026, with the main card streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States. - The promotion's next event, Zuffa Boxing 04, is scheduled for March 8, 2026, and will feature the debut of IBF and Ring Magazine Cruiserweight World Champion Jai Opetaia.
