By: Sean Crose
The 18-1rising heavyweight Efe Ajaba slipped in between the ropes at the Tahoe Blue Event Center Saturday night to show the world he was ready to be seen one of the best in the business. First, though, he had to best the 10-1-1 Joe Goodall in a scheduled 10 round ESPN broadcast main event. Ajaba, who towered over Goodall, stalked his man in the first. Goodall, on the other hand, tried to find a way to work inside. The crowd began to boo their displeasure early in the second, as neither fighter had yet found his rhythm. Goodall landed well at around the halfway point of the round. Meanwhile, Ajaba appeared to be looking for a chance to fire a missile at Goodall’s head.
Goodall got tagged clean in the third. Indeed, the Aussie fighter appeared to be in some trouble while Ajaba took his time breaking his man down. Ajaba turned up the heat in the first part of the fourth. Banging away at the now helpless Goodall, Ajaba earned the victory when the referee stepped in and wisely stopped the fight. Ajaba had done just was he was supposed to – gotten the attention of viewers by looking forceful and dominating. After thanking the Almighty, Ajaba went on to credit his team. “They pushed me through,” he said. “They made me work hard.”
The hard work clearly paid off.