Heavyweight bout: Nigeria’s Ajagba takes down Australian opponent Goodall in Commonwealth revenge

Hard-hitting Nigerian heavyweight contender Efe Ajagba stopped Australia’s Joe Goodall in the fourth round of their 10-round main event Saturday night at Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline, Nevada. Referee Tony Weeks stopped their fight 50 seconds into the fourth round because Goodall had taken too many unanswered punches.

Ajagba, of Stafford, Texas, improved to 19-1 and produced his 14th knockout. Brisbane’s Goodall (10-2-1, 9 KOs), who was still standing when their fight ended, lost inside the distance for the first time during his five-year pro career.

Ajagba avenged his split-decision defeat to Goodall in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland. Goodall came into their fight after producing his most noteworthy professional win, a sixth-round stoppage of Stephan Shaw on July 22 at FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

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St. Louis’ Shaw (18-2, 13 KOs) went the distance with Ajagba in his previous fight, a 10-rounder Ajagba won by unanimous decision January 14 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York.

Ajagba drilled Goodall with a right hand that wobbled Goodall about 35 seconds into the fourth round. Sensing that Goodall was ready to go, Ajagba unloaded an array of power punches that made Weeks step between them to spare Goodall from taking unnecessary punishment.

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Goodall tried to hold his hurt opponent, but Goodall couldn’t keep him from landing flush rights and lefts.

A right uppercut by Ajagba landed about 35 seconds into the third round. Another right uppercut by Ajagba wobbled Goodall about 20 seconds later.

Goodall eventually got his legs under him and landed a right to the side of Ajagba’s head with over 1:10 to go in the third round. Ajagba landed several more right uppercuts later in the third round.

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Ajagba’s jab was effective during the second round, when Goodall had difficulty finding his way inside until he landed a left-right combination just after the midway point of it.

Ajagba’s counter right landed over Goodall’s jab with just over 1:10 to go in the opening round. Another flush right by Ajagba connected with just under 40 seconds on the clock in the first round. (Blueprint)