With no sparring partner, one coach, a doctor, Ajagba provides a glimpse of hope
Ajaba knocks down an opponent at the ongoing Olympics
Knocks out Trinidad and Tobago’s Paul
Efe Ajagba is an unusual boxer. Unlike his contemporaries from other countries, Nigeria’s lone representative in the boxing event has no sparring partner at the on-going Games because the Ministry of Sports, in its wisdom, saw no need for a training partner for the lad. He is here with only one coach, Tony Konyegwachie and veteran sports medicine practitioner, Dr. Ahmed Muazu, who doubles as the fight analyst here.
But despite all these handicaps, Ajagba began his quest for a medal in the boxing event with a first round knockout of Trinidad and Tobago’s Nigel Paul in just 2.44 seconds of the first round.
Many boxing fans were still trying to get into the RioCentro Pavillion 6, venue of the event, when Ajagba delivered a devastating right hook to Paul’s chin to end the bout.
It was a moment the few Nigerians at the arena will relish for a long time, but to Paul, it was a cruel way to end a dream of getting a medal in Rio.Paul lamented that that single punch had ended many years of preparation and travels to get to the Olympics.
He said: “We trained against Ajagba’s right hook, but I made a rookie mistake and did not know when the blow arrived.“Once the draws pitched me against Ajagba, my coach took me for special training on how to neutralise the Nigerian’s right hand. I was doing well and even had some opportunities to hurt him, but he deceived me and lured me into a silly mistake.
“I am so sorry that I have disappointed my fans, but I know my opponent has a bright future in this competition. He will win a medal if he continues to utilise his weapon and doesn’t lose focus.”Explaining his victory over Paul, Ajagba said he studied the Tobagan over and over and came to the conclusion that he would win if he avoided a slugfest with the bulky puncher.
“He fights like a professional, who wants to stand toe to toe with his opponent. He believes in his punching ability, but he has rubber legs and a soft chin. So, I did not allow him to get close to me with my better reach.
“When I saw that he was eager to rush me, I gave him false confidence and he bought it. That was how I was able to daze him and then finished him off.”Ajagba dismissed fears that his opponents may have studied his movement and how he uses his right hand, saying, “nobody can stop me here.”
According to Ajagba, who is Nigeria’s lone boxer in Rio, “I have three ways of fighting, which my opponents don’t know anything about.“I can fight, I can box and I can stand toe to toe as the occasion demands. Efetobore Apoche taught me how to fight bigger opponents and avoid being hurt. So, if I cannot get my opponent by fighting technique, I brawl with him. My movement is a weapon that confuses my opponents because I am lighter than most of them,’’ he said.
Ajagba will meet Kazakhstan’s Ivan Dychko, who also knocked out his Azerbaijan opponent to qualify for the quarterfinals.Dychko is rated number two in the world, but Ajagba says the superior regard would count for nothing when they enter the ring tomorrow.
“My next opponent is a heavy hitter, a fighter, but he cannot box. He is slow and has a weak chin, so if I cannot win by boxing technique, I will turn to fighting. I have so many weapons to use against him,” Ajagba enthused.
Saturday’s defeat of Paul was not Ajagba’s first in the sun, in 2014, he won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games, while he climbed to a gold at the African Games in Congo Brazzaville last year.
AJagba revealed that he takes his opponents by surprise because they don’t know what to expect from him. This is his first Olympics and he is determined to make the most of it.
“I have none of my fights on YouTube so my opponents cannot study me, while all of them downloaded their fights in the internet, which can be easily accessed,” he said. Although Ajagba has been hampered by the lack of a sparring partner here in Rio, Dr. Muazu says the lad has channelled his frustrations through rings.
“Ajagba has made the best of the bad situation by ensuring that he is fit and conserves his energy. He spars with his coach, who is a retired boxer. We also study his opponents to know how to approach his fights,” he added.
Related
Sport
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.