Adam Azim has made his ambition clear to fight for a world title in his next bout. During a recent interview with Sky Sports Boxing, Azim and his promoter, Barry McGuigan, shared details about their future plans and discussed the young boxer’s progress as he aims to establish himself as one of the best in the world.
McGuigan praised Azim’s performance in his latest fight, mentioning in a podcast that the boxer delivered an impressive showing. “On the Toe2Toe podcast, which will be available for download later today, we mentioned that we were very happy that Adam got the rounds in,” McGuigan stated. Although he acknowledged that Azim could have finished the fight in the fifth round, he highlighted the value of the extra rounds.
“He knows he could have stepped it up a bit earlier and finished the fight in the fifth round, but those extra rounds were invaluable,” he added.
Azim’s growth over the past year was also a key point in the interview. According to McGuigan, the work done with coach Shane McGuigan has been crucial in developing Azim’s aggression, his ability to press forward and close the distance, and his counter-punching skills. “Traditionally, he’s a technical boxer with great footwork and speed, but he hits extremely hard, especially with that left hook, though his right hand is a bomb too,” McGuigan explained.
During the interview, Adam Azim was asked about his immediate plans, and he responded clearly: he wants to fight for the IBO world title.
“There’s a vacant IBO world title, and I want to target that next. Whoever they put in front of me, I’ll take it,” Azim declared.
It’s important to note that the IBO world title is not recognized as a major world title and doesn’t hold as much significance as some of the other top titles. However, as of 2023, the IBO title has been unified with three of the four major governing bodies in boxing — the WBA, IBF, and WBO — across several weight divisions.
The young boxer emphasized his goal of continuing to develop and taking on more significant opponents, mentioning that fights against rivals like Harlem Eubank and Dalton Smith are on the horizon but should happen at the right time.
Adam Azim, who solidified his place as a world contender after his victory over Ohara Davies, expressed his willingness to take on big fights. “If I’m offered a big fight, I’ll take it with both hands,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of timing and making sure everything is in place, including the possibility of a Pay-Per-View event.
For his part, Barry McGuigan stressed the importance of not rushing decisions and making sure his fighter is fully prepared to face elite competition. “It’s easy to make the mistake of rushing in and getting your fighter beaten when he’s not ready,” McGuigan warned.
Although he acknowledged that Adam Azim has the ability to defeat boxers like Liam Paro, José Valenzuela, or Alberto Puello, he emphasized that the current focus is on allowing him to continue developing gradually.
“I’m not saying Adam isn’t ready because he could beat guys like Liam Paro, José Valenzuela, or Alberto Puello right now, but we still think he’s developing. It’s better to take those fights when it’s the natural next step,” McGuigan said.
McGuigan also commented on the need to keep Azim active, especially after he lost ten months of training due to an ankle injury.
“Harlem Eubank and Dalton Smith are both possible future fights, no question, but we want to get him out again before Christmas. He damaged his ankle and was out for 10 months, which is time we can’t get back. We need to keep him busy. I had 12 fights in my first year as a pro. So we want him to be busy, because activity especially when you’re young is absolutely essential. Adam’s 22, so he’s got all the time in the world, but in British boxing, we want it now, not tomorrow,” the promoter concluded.
With a world title in sight and the support of an experienced team, Adam Azim seems to be on the right path to becoming one of the major figures in international boxing.
Boxing Social is now on WhatsApp! Join our channel by clicking here and getting all the latest boxing news direct to your phone.