Nigerian heavyweight Efe Ajagba has declared that Anthony Joshua “won’t last long” if they ever share the ring, issuing another challenge to the former two-time world champion amid what seems to be rising tension between the two fighters.
This latest remark comes despite Joshua publicly backing Ajagba ahead of his bout with Martin Bakole, a show of support that now appears one-sided.
Ajagba, speaking confidently in a recent interview with Morson Sport, didn’t hold back: “Yeah, 100% (I’ll beat him worse than Dubois). He won’t last long.”
The 31-year-old, who boasts a 20-1-1 record with 14 knockouts, is pushing hard for a shot at the top, recently fighting to a majority draw with Bakole in Riyadh. That result hasn’t slowed his momentum, nor cooled his ambition for a high-profile bout with Joshua.
The contrast between Ajagba and Joshua mirrors a different kind of relationship from what was once seen between former UFC champions Kamaru Usman and Israel Adesanya—two Nigerians who refused to fight each other out of mutual respect. Ajagba, however, doesn’t seem to share such sentiments.
He’s even questioned Joshua’s Nigerian identity, saying, “He’s not a real Nigerian. He might have just been there and that’s where his parents came from, but for me, I’m the original Nigerian.”
Ajagba further added, “Not Joshua, that man has not experienced Nigeria. Almost all of his life has been spent in the UK.”
When told about Joshua’s recent training stint in Nigeria, Ajagba was dismissive: “He just goes there for social media content… but I’m the original Nigerian.”
Ironically, Joshua had spoken positively about Ajagba in the past, saying, “Efe is a good boxer, and obviously, I’m going to support Efe, even though he doesn’t support me.”
Since suffering his only career loss to Frank Sanchez in 2021, Ajagba has been on a steady rise, winning five straight fights before drawing with Bakole. Ranked No.10 by The Ring, he has made no secret of his title ambitions.
Joshua, meanwhile, is trying to bounce back from a September 2024 loss to Daniel Dubois. At 35, time may not be on his side as he aims for one last climb to the top.
With tensions rising and both fighters still in the mix, an all-Nigerian showdown might not be far off—and it’s shaping up to be more about rivalry than respect.
