Frank Sanchez outboxes Efe Ajagba for ten straight rounds to win UD!
In a key showdown of undefeated, world-ranked heavyweights, Frank “The Cuban Flash” Sanchez (18-0, 13 KOs) placed the first blemish on the professional ledger of Efe Ajagba (15-0, 12 KOs). In this classic battle of ‘puncher versus boxer,’ Sanchez was able to use his superior skills to thoroughly outbox Ajagba en route to an unanimous decision win.
A 2016 Olympian, Ajagba has been highly flaunted since the start of his pro career. Standing 6’6”, the 27-year-old has the kind of one-punch right-hand that has gurus and fans comparing him to former WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder. Ranked #8 (WBC) and #10 (WBO), Ajagba viewed this bout as a springboard to what he hoped would be a big year in 2022.
With hindsight being what it is, tossing him in with the tough and technically skilled Sanchez was a bit too much. The 29-year-old from Guantanamo, Cuba is a mover and prefers to box rather than brawl. Due to his tools and confidence, Sanchez is being moved swiftly by his management. The Cuban currently is ranked #5 (WBO) and #11 (WBC).
In fact, it was the Cuban Flash who called for this fight. Feeling some kind of way about the call-out, the two men had a heated verbal exchange during the pre-fight press conference. With the win, Sanchez should make a significant jump up the heavyweight rankings moving forward.
IF IT AIN’T BROKE, DON’T FIX IT!
The bout began in rather nondescript fashion as nothing of serious note connected for either man. Ajagba established himself as the aggressor as he pursued the smoothly circling Sanchez around the ring. If anyone landed the better shots, it was the Cuban Flash. The second round was a carbon copy of the first, although it was evident that Sanchez was looking to land a looping right hook. That punch landed in the third but not quite as flush as the Flash would have preferred.
As the generic template of the fight continued to go unaltered, and not much heavy leather was landing, the crowd began lightly booing in the sixth. Then, finally in the seventh, the Cuban Flash connected with the right-hand that he’d been looking for the whole fight. After a brief delayed reaction, Ajagba went down to a knee where Sanchez clobbered him with a follow-up left uppercut. Commendably, the Nigerian made it to his feet and finished the round without further calamity.
Regrettably for the viewing audience, the action of the seventh did not bleed into the others. Instead the general theme of the overall bout took hold once again. For the final three periods, a rather listless Efe Ajagba followed the nimble-footed Cuban fruitlessly around the ring. Unable to decode Sanchez’s slick defense and efficient movement, the Nigerian couldn’t unearth any relevant solutions to change the course of the fight. Unsurprisingly, when the cards were read, Sanchez was awarded a solid and wide unanimous decision win.
By: Bakari Simpson
