A potential clash for the World Boxing Council (WBC) main title is looming between Efe Ajagba, the WBC silver title holder, and Anthony Joshua, the former unified heavyweight champion. This comes after Ajagba’s successful defense of his title for the second time, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra.
Both Ajagba and Joshua, of Nigerian descent, have had impressive performances with three consecutive victories in 2023 and also securing wins in their initial 2024 fights.
Anthony Joshua, who is of British-Nigerian origin, started his 2024 campaign with a victory by knocking out Francis Ngannou in March, propelling him to the number one spot in the WBC rankings, where Tyson Fury currently holds the championship.
On the other hand, Ajagba, hailing from Delta, achieved a split decision win over his long-time sparring partner and fellow Olympian, Guido Vianello, in their recent bout.
This victory has elevated Ajagba to the fourth position in the WBC rankings, surpassing contenders like Deontay Wilder (7th), Filip Hrgovic (8th), and Zhilei Zhang (9th). These fighters are being considered as potential opponents for Joshua as the boxing world anticipates the outcome of the Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk undisputed bout on May 18.
The expectation is that a rematch between the two champions will take place, and subsequently, the WBC will organize a clash among the top contenders to determine who will challenge Fury or Usyk for the main title.
Ajagba and Joshua have been the most active boxers among the top 10 rankings, and it is anticipated that the number one-ranked fighter and the WBC silver title holder will face off for an opportunity to compete for the prestigious WBC title.
Expressing his ambition, Ajagba previously mentioned his aspiration to follow in the footsteps of Samuel Peter, becoming only the second Nigerian boxer to hold a world heavyweight title.
“My focus is on becoming Nigeria’s next heavyweight champion,” stated Ajagba in August 2023 before his WBC silver title fight.