Efe Ajagba vs Zhan Kossobutskiy: Nigerian boxer to fight for WBC silver heavyweight belt

Nigerian professional boxer Efe Ajagba is set to return to the ring.

The 29-year-old Ajagba returns on the undercard as Jared “The Real Big Baby” Anderson takes on Ukrainian contender Andriy Rudenko.

Ajagba will take on unbeaten Kazakh southpaw Zhan Kossobutskiy in a round co-main event.

The Silent Roller takes on the 34-year-old southpaw from Kostanay, Kazakhstan who rarely goes the distance.

In a top-rank three-bout ESPN telecast it an an opportunity for Ajagba to show he is one of the best heavyweight contenders against Kossobutskiy.

Ajagba is now in the prime of his career and the 2021 disappointing loss to Cuba's Frank Sanchez is the only blemish on his record.

He bounced back knocking out Jozsef Darmos in a tune-up fight before going the distance against Stephan Shaw in a 50/50 match early in January.

Kossobutskiy will be Ajagba's hardest opponent and they will compete for the WBC silver heavyweight belt.

Ajagba promoted the fight on his official social media platforms with a statement that said, "Official weighing Done, "Don't miss this fight🥊 🔥 Get your tickets 🎟." 

His wife Tiya Renee also put out a statement about the fight that said, "Tune in on #espn Saturday August 26th to watch Ajagba vs Kossobutskiy fight for the WBC silver belt 10 round title fight."

Onoriode Ehwarieme of Nigeria in his promotional debut will compete against Bakhodir Jalolov.

Jalolov is Top Rank's most recent well-known signing; he took home a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Nigeria's Ehwarieme was stopped by Rodney Hernandez in 2019 and by Kossobutskiy two fights later, and the is expected to lose to "The Big Uzbek"

Ajagba takes on Kossobutskiy early on Sunday, August 27, 2023.