The judges couldn't separate the two fighters after 10 rounds of action. One judge scored the fight 96-94 for Ajagba, while the other two had it even at 95-95. Ajagba seemed to control much of the fight, and many boxing experts thought he'd done enough to get the win. Bakole had his moments too, but didn't look his best.
For Bakole, this fight came just over two months after a tough loss. Joseph Parker knocked him out in the second round of a fight Bakole took on short notice. After Saturday's draw, Bakole said:
"After losing against Parker I worked hard. I thought I won this fight. The judges say draw. I will ask His Excellency for the rematch on a full camp. I think this guy here knows I was struggling to lose weight. It was clever. With a full camp the fight won't go 10 rounds."
Ajagba felt he'd won the fight too. He explained:
"I won the fight. It's not for me to decide it's the judges. My game plan was to use my footwork but I got a little bit tired. He kept putting pressure on me. My jab wasn't working as well. I want the rematch for sure. I want it in the United States."
There's a good chance we'll see these two in the ring again. Both fighters want a rematch, and with many top heavyweights already booked for fights, it makes sense. The controversial draw will also fuel interest in a second meeting.
Bakole thinks he'll stop Ajagba if he gets a full training camp next time. Ajagba wants the rematch in the US. It'll be interesting to see where and when they might face off again.