Nigerian heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba advanced in his career with a technical knockout victory over Joseph Goodall, and lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla secured a decisive win against another unbeaten lightweight by stopping his opponent. These co-headlining fights were featured on the Top Rank-promoted fight card at the Tahoe Blue Event Center in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, on Saturday, November 4th.
Although Efe Ajagba’s (19-1, 14 KO’s) victory over Australian heavyweight Joseph Goodall (10-2-1, 9 KO’s) was impressive, some controversy arose regarding the referee’s decision to stop the fight. The stoppage may have been perceived as premature, given that there were no knockdowns to indicate that Goodall was severely hurt and in need of intervention.
Throughout the four rounds of the fight, Ajagba’s jabs and uppercuts seemed to leave Goodall off-balance as Ajagba effectively controlled the range of the fight. Goodall attempted to apply pressure but had limited success as Ajagba responded with well-timed counters, particularly his powerful right uppercuts.
All the rounds appeared to favor Ajagba, with the Nigerian boxer winning several through his effective jab. Although Goodall was not entirely ineffective with his own jabs, he often struggled to land follow-up punches due to Ajagba’s adept use of range.
In the fourth round, Goodall seemed to be losing the fight but appeared to be in decent condition when the referee intervened. While the Australian was pushed onto the ropes and unable to respond to a flurry of punches by Ajagba, some observers questioned the validity of the stoppage, especially since Goodall had not suffered a knockdown earlier in the fight. This decision raised concerns, given that the same referee, Tony Weeks, had faced criticism for a similar early stoppage in a previous fight; the May 13th match between Rolando Romero (15-1, 13 KO’s) and Ismael Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KO’s).
Regardless of the controversy surrounding the stoppage, Ajagba’s performance suggested that he was winning the fight by a clear margin. His victory might be somewhat contentious, but he has rebounded effectively following his first career loss to Cuban heavyweight Frank Sanchez (23-0, 16 KO’s) in 2021, securing a four-match winning streak.
Furthermore, Ajagba’s victory over Goodall holds added significance as it marks his progression through the professional ranks of heavyweight boxing. The two fighters had previously crossed paths in the amateurs almost a decade ago, in 2014, when Ajagba had suffered a unanimous decision loss to the Australian. This victory reflects Ajagba’s development as a prominent contender within the division, distinguishing himself from Goodall, who was once his rival in the amateur ranks.
American lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla (19-0, 16 KO’s) participated in the co-main event against Mexican fighter Diego Torres Nunez (18-1, 17 KO’s). Both fighters entered the ring with unbeaten records and 18 wins, with only one fighter emerging victorious.
Raymond Muratalla ultimately maintained his undefeated record with a technical knockout victory over Nunez in the eighth round. He dominated the fight, landing significantly more punches than Nunez and showcasing his skills.
With an impressive performance in the 135 lbs division, Muratalla may now be considered a legitimate threat alongside other top contenders such as William Zepeda (29-0, 25 KO’s) and Vasyl Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KO’s). While he expressed interest in facing unified lightweight champion Devin Haney (30-0, 15 KO’s), such a high-profile fight might not be imminent for Muratalla as he continues to establish himself in the division. Haney is set to face WBC super lightweight champion Regis Prograis (29-1, 24 KO’s) on December 9th, and the winner of the vacant WBC lightweight title fight between Shakur Stevenson (20-0, 10 KO’s) and Edwin De Los Santos (16-1, 14 KO’s) on November 16th is likely to be a more immediate contender for Haney.
Another noteworthy fight featured unbeaten super featherweight contenders Henry Lebron (19-0, 10 KO’s) from Puerto Rico and American fighter William Foster III (16-1, 10 KO’s). The closely contested bout resulted in a majority decision win for Lebron. The scores were 96-94, 95-95, and a somewhat contentious 99-91, given the competitive nature of the match.
