Efe Ajagba vs Stephan Shaw has been set as a new ten-round main event for Saturday, January 14 at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York. The latter replaces initially scheduled Oscar Rivas, who was forced to withdraw due to eye injury. Meanwhile, Shaw’s originally opponent Guido Vianello now faces Jonathan Rice in the ten-round co-main event.
Both bouts air live on ESPN and ESPN Deportes, and live stream on ESPN+.
“Stephan Shaw stepped up and has a tough task against one of the division’s biggest punchers in Efe Ajagba,” said Bob Arum, Top Rank chairman. “We’re pleased that Guido will remain on the card against a formidable opponent in Jonnie Rice. This will be a fantastic heavyweight doubleheader at Turning Stone.”
Tickets for the event can be purchased through Vivid Seats and TicketNetwork.
Stephan Shaw (18-0, 13 KOs), a native of St. Louis, Missouri, won three bouts in 2022, most recently defeating Rydell Booker by unanimous decision, following a pair of TKOs of Bernardo Marquez and Joey Dawejko. Nigeria’s Efe Ajagba (16-1, 13 KOs) won his previous bout by TKO in the second round against Jozsef Darmos and rebounded from the defeat by unanimous decision against Frank Sanchez.
A 2016 Olympian Guido Vianello (10-0-1, 9 KOs) of Rome, Italy is coming off the win by unanimous decision against Jay Macfarlane. Columbia, South Carolina-born Jonathan Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs) won two of his previous bouts against Michael Polite Coffie by unanimous decision and via fifth-round TKO and rebounded from a pair of defeats against Ajagba and Demsey McKean.
In Australia the event airs live on Sunday, January 15.
Ajagba vs Shaw fight card
The current lineup can be found below. The finalized Ajagba vs Shaw fight card is expected to be announced shortly.
Main card
- Efe Ajagba vs. Stephan Shaw, 10 rounds, heavyweight
- Guido Vianello vs. Jonathan Rice, 10 rounds, heavyweight
Undercard
- Adam Lopez vs. Abraham Nova, 10 rounds, junior lightweight
- Floyd Diaz vs. TBA, 8 rounds, junior featherweight
- Haven Brady Jr vs. TBA, 8 rounds, junior lightweight
- Bryce Mills vs. Margarito Hernandez, 6 rounds, junior welterweight
- Dante Benjamin Jr vs. Emmanueal Austin, 6 rounds, light heavyweight
- Brian Norman Jr vs. TBA, 6 rounds, welterweight
- Rohan Polanco vs. TBA, 6 rounds, junior welterweight
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