Oleksandr Usyk called out by Zuffa Boxing heavyweight who scored vicious KO in debut

Efe Ajagba is keen to take on Oleksandr Usyk after brutally stopping Charles Martin.

Ajagba was in action for his first appearance under Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing banner, where he took on American heavyweight Martin.

Zuffa Boxing

He dropped Martin in the third round with the former world champion on borrowed time, before the referee halted the contest in the fourth round.

It was a statement victory for Ajagba who consolidated his status as a top 15 ranked heavyweight.

And he insisted he would next be ready to take on current unified champion Usyk, among any others in the top ten of the rankings.

He said at the post-fight press conference: “My last fight after Martin Bakole, they didn’t give me a shot against Usyk because it was a draw.

“I want to fight Usyk, I wish I’d won the fight as they could have given it to me.

“But Usyk, Deontay Wilder, Tyson Fury, it doesn’t matter to me. I’ll fight anyone in the top ten.”

A showdown with Usyk would likely have made more sense when Ajagba was in the leading echolons of the rankings.

But with his time running out in the professional ranks, the Ukrainian is also looking for the biggest name fights.

If he is unable to find a defence and needs to keep busy, Usyk does have the option of a voluntary defence.

But he is likely to be ordered to face WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel afterwards so time is running out for Ajagba.

Could Usyk sign for Zuffa Boxing?

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Of course, Ajagba could well be propelled into the mix if Usyk does ink a deal with Zuffa Boxing.

‘The Cat’ was set to face Deontay Wilder, but negotiations collapsed with the ‘Bronze Bomber’ instead facing Derek Chisora on April 4.

But it was revealed that he has held talks with White over a potential move to join the promotion, given his ambitions of cracking the US market.

His team Director Sergey Lapin told talkSPORT Bet: “There is contact, there is dialogue, and interest exists [from Dana White and Zuffa Boxing].

“Details aren’t for the public right now. Let’s say a few doors are open, and if format, numbers, and timing align, the market could see a move nobody expects.

Everyone has seen what he [Dana White] did. He turned ‘old MMA’ into the global UFC machine.

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“His real power is packaging not just a fight, but an event.

“If he gets involved, the scale and attention immediately become different.”