Nigeria’s heavyweight contender, Efe Ajagba, made a statement in an emphatic third round knockout of Brian Howard.
A right hand put Howard down and out on Saturday evening in front of a sold-out crowd at Osage Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The fight had gone back and fourth in the opening rounds with Ajagba hitting his fair share of shots despite marching Howard down.
In the third round, it was all over in an instant when Howard committed the cardinal sin of failing to keep his guard up, looking for a quick counter.
Having given Ajagba an opening, he stayed on his feet for just a couple of seconds longer.
“It feels really good,” Ajagba told ESPN.
“I listened to the corner, they told me to start to the body and then go to the head.
“When I started with the jab to the body, it caused him to drop his hands.
“Then came the right hand.
“I’m coming for the heavyweights.
“I’m going to be heavyweight champion of the world.”
Ajagba stole the show on a huge day of boxing, which included Aussie star Ebanie Bridges’ brave world title fight defeat to Shannon Courtenay and Conor Benn’s 80-second thrashing of Samuel Vargas.