Nigeria’s Efe Ajagba will take on DR Congo’s Martin Bakole and a win will see him become the mandatory challenger for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) heavyweight world championship that Daniel Dubois holds.
According to Sky Sports, the IBF ordered Bakole to box Ajagba for the right to become the mandatory challenger for their heavyweight title.
Agit Kabayel, based in Germany, has already withdrawn from the eliminator bout against Bakole.
Although Chinese rival Zhilei Zhang, who was No 5 in the IBF rankings, was then eligible for the fight he is expected to go in another direction.
Top Rank has now informed the IBF that Ajagba is available for the fight.
The IBF have now ordered Ajagba, who at No 7 is their next highest available contender, to box Bakole, their No 4.
Bakole has looked imperious when stopping Jared Anderson and Carlos Takam in his last two fights.
He is now gunning for a shot at the IBF championship, which Britain’s Dubois defended with his stunning knockout victory over Anthony Joshua at Wembley Stadium in September.
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Dubois due to make a voluntary defence of his IBF title in February, with Joseph Parker tipped as the potential opponent for the British world champion’s next fight.
The IBF have previously stated that Dubois will be notified on approximately April 22 of his mandatory for June.
They state the champion “shall be obligated to mandatorily defend his championship within intervals of no more than nine months against the leading available contender in the heavyweight division as designated by the championships chairman”.
Ajagba, 30, has 21 fights, with 20 wins, 14 via knockouts and one loss which was in October 2021.
The 2016 Rio Olympic quarter-finalists has won his last five fights.
For 31-year-old Bakole, he has won his last 10 fights and the last time he fought was in August this year and recorded a knockout win.
He has 22 fights, 21 wins, 16 knockout wins and his only loss was in October 2018.
