Efe Ajagba vs. Guido Vianello set for April 13 in Corpus Christi
Efe Ajagba and Guido Vianello will fight in a crossroads clash of once-beaten heavyweights.
Ajagba and Vianello will square off on April 13, Top Rank announced late Wednesday. The 10-round bout will take place at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas and will precede the main event bout between heavyweight contender Jared Anderson, who is rated No.7 by The Ring, and Ryad Merhy.
Both fights will air live on ESPN (10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT).
“Efe Ajagba is one of the division’s biggest punchers, but Guido Vianello is a skilled fighter who demanded a step-up in competition,” said Top Rank Chairman Bob Arum. “Jared Anderson is the most exciting young heavyweight in the world, and he’s stepping up against his toughest opponent to date. Corpus Christi is a great fight town, and I can’t wait for the fans to have a front row seat for the future heavyweight champion.
“If you like heavyweights, this is a can’t-miss card.”
Ajagba (19-1, 14 knockouts), who is originally from Ughelli, Nigeria and now resides in Stafford, Texas, stopped once-beaten prospect Joseph Goddall in the fourth round of his last bout on November 4. In his previous fight on August 26, Ajagba won by disqualification against Zhan Kossobutskiy.
The 29-year-old has won his last four bouts, including a win over Stephen Shaw, since a unanimous decision defeat to Frank Sanchez in October 2021.
Both Ajagba and Vianello fought in the super heavyweight division at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and while they did not fight each other, Vianello left an impression on Ajagba.
“I remember Guido from the Rio Olympics, and he is a very skilled and powerful fighter,” said Ajagba. “My goal is to become heavyweight champion, and in order for me to accomplish my dream, I have to be at my best against Guido.”
Vianello (12-1-1, 10 KOs) represented Italy at the 2016 Olympic Games and now lives and trains in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In his last bout on February 16, Vianello stopped once-beaten Moses Johnson in the opening round. The 29-year-old has won his last two fights since a knockout loss to Jonathan Rice on January 14 of last year.
Vianello believes an impressive victory over Ajagba would open doors to face the top fighters in the heavyweight division.
“This is a big opportunity for me to fight one of the top heavyweights in the world, and I did not hesitate when it was offered,” said Vianello. “I am ready to step up to the plate, and I look forward (to) a great fight on April 13.”
In the opening bout of the ESPN telecast, three-time world title challenger Robson Conceicao (17-2-1 1 No Decision, 8 KOs) of Brazil will square off against Mexico’s Jose Guardado Ortiz (15-1-1, 5 KOs) in an eight-round bout.
Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]
