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NEW YORK (January 14, 2023) – Tonight, undefeated heavyweight Stephan “Big Shot” Shaw will headline a big night of action when he takes on Efe Ajagba on ESPN for an action-packed night of Split-T management fighters will highlight Verona, New York and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Shaw, who was originally scheduled to face Guido Vianello in the co-feature match, moved up to first place after suffering an injury.
Shaw, 30 from Saint Louis, Missouri is 18-0 with 13 knockouts. The 10-year-old pro is considered one of the heavyweights to watch.
Shaw has wins over Danny Kelly (9-2-1), Jonnie Rice (4-1-1), Joel Caudle (7-1-1), Donovan Dennis (12-3), Willie Jake Jr. (8-2 ). -1), Gregory Corbin (15-2) and Lyubomyr Pinchuk (12-1-1). In his bout, Shaw won an eight-round unanimous decision over Rydell Booker (26-6-1) on November 22, 2022 in New York City.
Ajagba is known as one of the hardest hits in heavyweight division. The Houston native is 16-1 over Nigeria with 13 knockouts. The 28-year-old has impressive wins over Tyrell Anthony Herndon (6-1), Luke Lyons (5-0), Nick Jones (7-0), Amir Mansour (23-3-1), Michael Wallisch (19-1) , Ali Eren Demirezen (11-0), Iago Kiladze (26-4-1). In his last fight, Ajagba stopped Jozsef Demos in two rounds on August 27, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
At Friday’s weigh-in, Shaw weighed 239.5 pounds. Ajagba was 235 1/4 lbs.
Shaw is co-promoted by Top Rank and DiBella Entertainment.
The fight will be broadcast live on ESPN at 10 p.m. ET
Also on the Verona card is Split-T’s Abraham Nova taking on Adam Lopez in a 10-round super featherweight bout.
Nova from nearby Albany, New York is 21-1 with 15 knockouts. The 28-year-old Nova won his first 21 fights. In his last fight, he suffered his first loss when he dropped his fight to Robeisy Ramirez on June 18, 2022 in New York.
Lopez from Glendale, California is 16-3 with six knockouts. A former NABF Junior Featherweight and Featherweight Champion, Lopez earned an eight-round unanimous decision over William Encarnacion (19-2) on May 21, 2022 in Las Vegas.
Nova, who is promoted by Top Rank, Murphy’s Boxing and 12 Rounds Promotions, weighed 129 pounds. Lopez also weighed 129 pounds.
Undefeated lightweight junior Haven Brady Jr. will see action in an eight-round bout against Ruben Cervera.
Brady, 21 years old from Albany, Georgia is 8-0 with four knockouts. Brady fought four times in 2022 and ended the year with an eight-round unanimous victory over undefeated Eric Mondragon on October 29 in New York City.
Cervera from Santa Marta, Colombia has a record of 13-3 with 11 knockouts. Cervera, 25, suffered a decision loss to Carlos Balderas on May 21 in Las Vegas.
Brady weighed 132 3/4 pounds. Cervera was 130 1/4.
Also on the card is undefeated light heavyweight Dante Benjamin Jr., who takes on Emmanuel Austin in a six-round bout.
Cleveland’s Benjamin ended his rookie year with a 4-0 record with two knockouts. He comes to a unanimous decision over Leandro Silva on August 27, 2022 in Tulsa.
Austin of New Orleans is 6-0 with six knockouts. The 29-year-old sits out against Juan Carlos Pitalua in the first round on May 4, 2022.
Benjamin weighed 174 pounds. Austin weighed 175 pounds.
Nova, Brady and Benjamin’s fights will be streamed live on ESPN+ starting at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Brady and Benjamin are promoted from Top Rank.
Three more Split-T fighters will be deployed in Milwaukee. In the main event, Milwaukee’s Rolando Vargas takes on Derrick Murray in an eight-round junior welterweight bout.
Vargas (8-1, 7 KOs) has won three times in a row and wins against Charles Garner (6-1) on October 29 in Milwaukee.
Murray of Saint Louis is 17-6-1 with six knockouts. He has won two undefeated fighters and in his last fight Murray stopped former world champion DeMarcus Corley on October 29th in Jackson, Tennessee.
The co-feature will see the return of former IBF World Junior Welterweight Champion Mary McGee. McGee takes on Dahianna Santana in a six-round bout.
McGee of Gary, Indiana is 27-5 with 15 knockouts, McGee won the IBF junior welterweight title on December 6, 2019 with a 10th round stoppage over Ana Laura Esteche. She defended her crown once with a stoppage in the ninth round against Deanha Hobb (8-1). In her last fight, McGee lost a 10-round decision to WBC Champion Chantelle Cameron on October 30, 2021 in London.
Santana of New York by 40-13 with 15 knockouts. Santana is a former interim WBA featherweight champion. She won the belt by defeating Francis Elena Bravo on June 28, 2014. Santana fought three more times for the world title. Santana is on a winning streak of four fights as she defeated Mima Elizabeth La Hoz by unanimous decision in her most recent fight on July 10, 2022 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
McGee is promoted by DiBella Entertainment.
Finally, Javier Zamarron will be looking to make two for two as he takes on Sean Williams in a four-round featherweight bout.
Zammaron, from Sheboygan, Wisconsin, won his pro debut when he stopped Ahmond Rayshan Oates in the opening round on October 29, 2022 in Milwaukee.
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