Published
4 weeks agoon
By
Michael WoodsFans of the heavyweights have, or should have, the Top Rank card running Saturday on their To Do list. Efe Ajagba, age 28, holds a 16-1 mark, while 30 year old Stephan Shaw is 18-0. Both have KO capability. Now, did we see anything at the Friday weigh in to indicate who might have an edge going into the Top Rank/ESPN main event presentation?
Probably not, though Ajagba gets a point for successful chopsbusting. At their photog faceoff, Ajagba indicated that Shaw had stankbreath by clearing the air in front of his face with his hand.
No, Shaw didn’t take the bait and expend energy being offended
Shaw didn’t get irked, nor did he react angrily when Ajagba positioned his left arm to be in front of Shaw as photogs snapped pics. Does it mean anything? Impossible to know; but we at NYF are always amped for this sort of mini crossroads clash. Here’s more info on the card
• Efe Ajagba 235 1/4 vs. Stephan Shaw 239.5
(Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)
Prediction 1
Ajagba to Win
+138
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Odds from
Prediction 2
Shaw to Win
-150
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Odds from
• Guido Vianello 239 lbs vs. Jonnie Rice 274 1/4 lbs
(Heavyweight — 10 Rounds)
Prediction 1
Vianello to Win
+110
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Odds from
Prediction 2
Rice to Win
-125
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Odds from
(ESPN+) Watch the fight on ESPN+ >>
• Abraham Nova 129 lbs vs. Adam Lopez 129 lbs
(Junior Lightweight — 10 Rounds)
Prediction 1
Lopez to Win
-125
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Odds from
Prediction 2
Nova to Win
+110
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Odds from
• Haven Brady Jr. 132 3/4 lbs vs. Ruben Cervera 130 1/4 lbs
(Lightweight— 8 Rounds)
• Bryce Mills 143 lbs vs. Margarito Hernandez 144 1/4 lbs
(Welterweight — 6/4 Rounds)
• Floyd Diaz 122 lbs vs. Edwin Rodriguez 121.5 lbs
(Junior Featherweight — 8 Rounds)
• Brian Norman Jr. 149 lbs vs. Rodrigo Damian Coria 148 1/4 lbs
(Welterweight — 8 Rounds)
• Bruce Carrington 128 lbs vs. Juan Antonio Lopez 127.5 lbs
(Featherweight — 6 Rounds)
• Dante Benjamin Jr. 174 lbs vs. Emmanueal Austin 175 lbs
(Light Heavyweight— 6 Rounds)
Per BetMGM, Stephan Shaw is the favorite at -150, and Efe Ajagba is the underdog at +138.
Stephan Shaw: Decision +125; KO/TKO +400
Draw: +1200
Efe Ajagba: Decision +275; KO/TKO +450
These timings could change due to the length of the undercard fights.
Editor/publisher Michael Woods got addicted to boxing in 1990, when Buster Douglas shocked the world with his demolition of the thought to be impregnable Mike Tyson. The Brooklyn-based journalist Woods has covered the sport since then, for ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, ESPN New York, RING, and he was editor of TheSweetScience.com from 2007-2015. Woods is also an accomplished blow by blow and color man, having done work for Top Rank, DiBella Entertainment, EPIX, and for Facebook Fightnight Live since 2017. He now does work for PROBOX TV, the first truly global boxing network.