Ajagba vs. Shaw: Top Rank on ESPN Card Features Good Mix of 50-50’s
By Chris Carlson
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 14 Jan 2023
Top Rank’s top-3 billed bouts are basically 50-50 matchups on the mid-level something boxing fans hope to see more of on ESPN/ESPN+ in 2023. Ever since the PBC took boxing back on network television and Top Rank landed a deal with ESPN, mid-level fights continue to get much needed exposure. Saturday’s card has 3 interesting bouts in Efe Ajagba vs. Stephan Shaw, Guido Vianello vs. Jonnie Rice, and Adam Lopez vs. Abraham Nova. As a reminder you don’t need cable to watch Top Rank/ESPN boxing it streams live on the ESPN+ app as well.
One outing removed from his first loss as a professional, Efe Ajagba faces another stiff test in Stephan Shaw in the main event on ESPN/ESPN+. Efe was out-boxed cleanly by Frank Sanchez, the Cuban’s defense proved too difficult of a task to overcome. Efe is fairly basic in his approach offensively but his punch rate and power stands out at heavyweight. Will a basic yet fairly effective 1-2 attack with upper cuts & hooks at times be enough to get the “W”?
The 18-0 Stephan Shaw is taking a step up in competition facing Efe Ajagba and although he doesn’t have the same defensive capabilities as Frank Sanchez, it makes sense for him to be a slight favorite. Shaw uses his jab in a variety of ways. Measuring with it and scoring to the head with good hand speed or throwing it to the body. Something that should be a useful tool is Shaw’s jab as he turns into a hook to the head. He likes to fight at range or on the outside being light on his feet to an extent with decent pop on his punches.
Efe has gone the 10-round distance 3 times whereas Shaw has been 8-rounds on 3 separate occasions. Look for this one to be nip and tuck pretty much the whole way. Shaw will start fast so it will be up to Ajagba to land the more telling shots to slow him down and take over the fight.
My Official Prediction is Stephan Shaw by Majority Decision.
Podcast Link: http://tobtr.com/12186062
Leading the way as the headliner of sorts for the ESPN+ portion of the card before it switches to ESPN after a Big-12 college basketball game is a can’t miss bout between Adam Lopez and Abraham Nova. Don’t let Lopez’s 16-3 record fool you. He’s a legit guy. His first loss came to freaking Stephen Fulton in Adam’s 9th pro fight. Before losing by TKO and a close MD, Lopez was giving Oscar Valdez some good work knocking him down early and his fight with Isaac Dogboe could’ve went his way. According Adam Lopez, if he wins on Saturday Top Rank will offer him a new deal so this is almost like a mini-version of a contract year in pro team sports. (Credit to Lukieboxing at Inside The Ropes for that information during a recent interview.)
Abraham Nova’s back is against the wall to an extent as well having just been stopped last summer by the ever-improving Robeisy Ramirez. Nova’s range finding jab and the option to bring the pressure or fight at a distance along with counter hooks and lead/counter straight right hands makes for what should be a very-competitive scrap. Yes Nova was stopped in his last fight but he was giving Robeisy plenty to think about. Nova tends to get caught with the cleaner punch during exchanges. He throws nice combinations at times shoe-shining downstairs rather than meaningful body lands.
Many betting sites have both fighters with a minus number and a few have Nova as a slim underdog sitting as high as +115/+120. The experience level and more sustained success even in losses favors Lopez. It won’t be a walk in the park and should be two-way action until the final bell.
My Official Prediction is Adam Lopez by Split-Decision.
The last bout to preview and predict is the co-feature pairing unbeaten prospect in Guido Vianello versus fringe contender Jonnie Rice. Just like Lopez, don’t you dare sleep on Rice because of his misleading record of 15-6-1. Rice has fought multiple tough matchups some on short notice with his biggest wins coming back to back over Michael Coffie. Rice scored a 5th round TKO the first time around then came weighed in at 283 pounds much higher in the rematch compared to 268½. He won by decision but it was easy to tell he couldn’t match his first performance.
This boxing podcaster believes Jonnie Rice should win this fight of course it will come down to what kind of shape he’s in. Rice tipped the scales at 274 in Friday’s weigh in but it should be noted he took this opportunity around 3 weeks ago. Guido Vianello is still very raw, how much has he improved since his draw to Kingsley Ibeh over two years ago? Ibeh did manage to go 6 rounds with highly-touted heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson. This one here is a coin-toss flip to decide a winner based off not knowing how prepared Rice will be and some unknowns from Guido.
My Official Prediction is a Draw (Forced to choose Rice Decision)
Written by Chris Carlson Host/Producer of The Rope A Dope Radio Podcast Available at www.blogtalkradio.com/ropeadoperadio Follow on Twitter @RopeADopeRadio
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Chris Carlson.
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