To add to the stacked week of heavyweight boxing matches that are set to take place, let’s take a closer look at this interesting matchup between Efe Ajagba and Zhan Kossobutskiy. These two are going to be the co-main event of the Anderson-Rudenko card.
Read more for the breakdown and official Ajagba vs Kossobutskiy prediction ahead of making your bets this weekend.
Efe Ajagba vs. Zhan Kossobutskiy Information
Efe Ajagba vs Zhan Kossobutskiy
Location of the game: Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tulsa, OK.
Date and Time: Saturday, August 26. 9:00 PM ET est. ring walk
How to Watch: ESPN+
Last Fight Results
Ajagba is coming off a unanimous decision win over Stephen Shaw in January.
Kossobutskiy is coming off an impressive KO win over Hussein Muhamed last November.
Efe Ajagba vs. Zhan Kossobutskiy Betting Analysis
Efe Ajagba
Ajagba is a Nigerian professional heavyweight boxer with a record of 17-1 and 13 KOs at the age of 29. In the amateur circuit, he won a gold medal at the 2015 African Games. And a bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Since turning pro, he has been a dominant and very scary figure in the heavyweight boxing world.
A fun fact about Ajagba is he holds the quickest victory record in boxing history due to his opponent walking directly out of the ring and into the locker room as the opening bell sounded. “The Silent Roller” is very genetically gifted. With a height of 6’6” and an 85” reach, making it difficult for just about any heavyweight boxer in the world to get to him.
Zhan Kossobutskiy
Kossobutskiy is a 34-year-old professional boxer from Kazakhstan who is currently the WBC International heavyweight champ. He has a professional record of 19-0 with 18 KOs and is set to be showcased in the United States for the very first time.
Kossobutskiy is coming into this matchup at 6’3” with a 78” reach, fighting out of a slick southpaw stance. He brings an interesting style of boxing that a lot of fans will enjoy watching. It doesn’t look like he is throwing anything with massive power, but the 18 KOs tell a different story.
Updates
There are no injuries reported to ESPN.
Efe Ajagba vs. Zhan Kossobutskiy Betting Preview
Before making the proper Ajagba vs Kossobutskiy prediction, let’s take a closer look at all the available betting lines for this big-time heavyweight bout.
According to boxing odds, Kossobutskiy is coming into this weekend as the -155 betting favorite over the +115 Ajagba. When you think of heavyweight boxing, these odds are just about as even as you can get. Even when there are big underdogs, there’s always a chance that just one punch can change the entire fight.
There aren’t many lines available right now, this early in fight week, but keep your eye on the local sports books to see what kind of prop bets get released for this clash of Titans.
Master of the Ring
On a more technical note, this is arguably the most interesting fight to watch on this ESPN boxing card from Tulsa, Oklahoma, this weekend. Out of all the heavyweights on the card, Kossobutskiy is the most interesting.
Kossobutskiy fights out of a southpaw stance, and it’s a beautiful thing. He uses the straightest punches out of everyone, remaining very technical, and never uses any extra movement. He has pinpoint accuracy, especially to the body, and everything about his guard and counterpunching is so fun to watch.
Ajagba is clearly the more athletically and genetically gifted fighter out of the two. With a superhuman reach and tons of natural power. The reach will be an interesting factor in this. But that will depend on if Ajagba has the ability to implement a game plan where he can keep Kossobutskiy out of range.
Efe Ajagba vs. Zhan Kossobutskiy Prediction
Boxing predictions for fights like this one are so fun to make because it’s actually a 50/50 fight where not many people are confident in a pick. The sport of boxing needs these kinds of fights to save it and keep it as one of the best events to watch in the world.
- The official Ajagba vs Kossobutskiy prediction is that Kossobutskiy is going to get his hand raised in his United States debut.
It’s easy to see this going to a decision, and the odds are good enough not to overthink and keep this a moneyline bet.
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