The heavyweights boxed instead of brawled, and Efe Ajagba closed the show strong. Ajagba edged the previously unbeaten Stephan Shaw by 10-round unanimous decision (96-94 3x) Saturday evening at Turning Stone Resort Casino.
Ajagba (17-1, 13 KOs) won his second straight bout since a 2021 defeat to Frank Sanchez. He had surgeries on both elbows after that fight and has re-established himself as a contender to watch. Shaw (18-1, 13 KOs) was ahead 58-56 on all three judges’ cards after the sixth but was outlanded 62-37 in the last four rounds.
In a battle of jabs, Ajagba landed his with more frequency (90-48).
“I went back to the corner and they told me to let my hands go, keep throwing punches, my jab. I controlled the fight, so that’s how I won the fight,” Ajagba said. “He tried to land the big shots. I watched him to see what he was going to do. He kept throwing the jab, using the jab more.”
At super featherweight, Abraham “El Super” Nova (22-1, 15 KOs) exorcised the demon of last June’s knockout loss to Robeisy Ramirez and knocked down Adam “BluNose” Lopez (16-4, 6 KOs) twice to win a 10-round unanimous decision.
The first four rounds were razor-thin, but in the fifth, Nova landed a left hook during an exchange that floored Lopez. In the sixth, Nova knocked down Lopez again, creating a wide gulf on the cards. Lopez buzzed Nova in the eighth but was unable to press the advantage. Scores: 97-91 and 98-90 2x.
Lightweights: Haven Brady Jr. (9-0, 4 KOs) dominated early and had to hold off the late charge of Colombian banger Ruben Cervera (13-4, 11 KOs). Brady was clipped with an overhand right at the end of the fifth round, but he weathered the storm and notched an eight-round unanimous decision. Scores: 80-72, 79-73, and 78-74.
Welterweights: Local favorite Bryce Mills (11-1, 4 KOs), from nearby Liverpool, New York, had the fans on their feet from the time he made his ring walk. He did not disappoint, shutting out the aggressive Margarito Hernandez (3-4-1) over six rounds. Scores: 60-54 3x.
