Efe Ajagba was Nigeria’s sole hope of winning a medal in the boxing event at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
However, being the country’s only fighter was a huge weight on the youngster’s shoulders.
Efe Vs Nigel Paul
In a riveting one round bout, Efe knocked out his Trinidad & Tobago opponent, Nigel Paul, to assert his dominance in the Super Heavyweight 91kg category.
Efe came onto the canvas confident in his ability to do damage to his opponent.
However, Efe himself would never have guessed the outcome of the fight one minute after the bell was rung.
The Nigerian made good use of his height, sending clean body shots coupled with superbly planned headshots to Nigel, and within the first minute of the first round, Efe had sent his opponent hitting the canvas face down.
Before the fight, no boxer had won a bout at Rio via knockout, placing Efe as a favorite to win a medal at the games.
The 2015 African Games champion succeeded in winning not just the hearts of Nigerians, but also that of the world with his remarkable display of skill and his high-spirited victory celebration.
His win against Nigel earned him a place in the quarterfinal of the event, but he failed to advance to the medal’s stage following his defeat by Ivan Dychko of Kazakhstan.
Source: MOC
Featured image source: Premier Boxing Champions
You might also like:
- Para-Powerlifter Folashade Oluwafemiayo Sets New World Record
- Onyinyechi Mark Sets New World Record, Wins Nigeria’s First 2024 Paralympic Gold
- Gallant D’Tigress Bow Out of the Olympics
- D’Tigress Make Olympic History After Beating Canada
