“I know he a big, strong dude,” Martin told The Ring. “Imma work my way around him, break him down, and get him up outta there. That’s what I do. That’s what I’m coming to do.”
Martin does not see this as desperation. He sees it as timing that favors him more than Ajagba realizes. The difference in activity created the impression of decline. Martin insists it created something else instead: opportunity disguised as vulnerability.
Martin believes inactivity created false perception
Heavyweight matchmaking often runs on risk calculation. Fighters positioned near title contention look for opponents who appear manageable but credible. Martin fits that description. He is a former IBF champion with knockout power, but his recent inactivity and age make him appear less threatening than younger contenders still building momentum.
Martin believes Ajagba saw the inactivity and assumed erosion. He believes that assumption created this fight.
Facing Jared Anderson in July 2023 reinforced Martin’s belief that he remains dangerous. Anderson was unbeaten and considered one of the division’s rising names. Martin hurt him twice during their 10-round bout before losing a unanimous decision. The performance did not produce a victory, but it changed how Martin viewed his own standing.
He said other heavyweights avoided him afterward because they viewed him as high-risk without enough reward. Ajagba made a different decision.
“I want the big fights,” Martin said. “[Ajagba is] in my way. That’s his fault, that’s his mistake. [Beating Ajagba is gonna] get me them big fights.”
That language reflects more than confidence. It reflects Martin’s belief that Ajagba misread where he is in his career.
Ajagba’s recent rise built on narrow margins
Ajagba enters the fight with stronger positioning. He is ranked #8 by The Ring and has moved closer to meaningful fights in the division. His recent majority draw with Martin Bakole kept him active while other heavyweights waited for larger opportunities.
Martin focused on that specific fight, arguing that the version of Bakole Ajagba faced was not physically prepared.
“That was an out-of-shape Bakole,” Martin said. “I heard [Bakole] was in the best shape when he fought Jared. So, I mean, he wasn’t in shape for [the Ajagba fight]. … It looked like if he was in shape he woulda beat him. But that’s the big thing. You gotta be in shape.”
Martin’s interpretation removes some of the certainty around Ajagba’s recent progress. He sees openings rather than distance between them. Ajagba’s lone loss, a decision defeat to Frank Sanchez, remains the only clear setback on his record. Martin believes his own experience and physical strength still belong at that level.
Martin sees fight as entry point back to major stage
Martin’s goals extend beyond this opponent. He views Ajagba as a path back into the upper tier of heavyweight fights, including the large international cards that now anchor the division’s schedule.
“I’m trying to make it to Saudi and all that stuff,” Martin said. “I wanna be on the bigger cards, back in the mix.”
That objective gives this fight additional importance. Martin is not fighting simply to remain active. He is fighting to reinsert himself into a heavyweight structure that moved on during his inactivity. He also acknowledged that his earlier career suffered from his own mistakes.
“In the past, I might not have been that dedicated fighter I was when I first started,” Martin said. “That hurt me a lot, so being back on that right track, I’m coming to make a statement.”
That admission explains the urgency behind his current approach, because Martin does not see this as rebuilding but as correcting timing.
Ajagba accepted this fight, expecting to face an inactive former champion near the end of his career. Martin believes he will face something else entirely. If Martin is right, Ajagba chose this fight based on a version of him that no longer exists.
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