Adam Azim: The Future of British Boxing?

Adam Azim: The Future of British Boxing?

Ben Shalom has labelled Adam Azim as ‘The Future of British Boxing’ on many occasions. From what we have seen so far, Shalom may very well have a point.

Azim is a fighter with very big ambitions. The quest to become a world champion before he turns 22 has been well told. Azim has the look of a very special fighter indeed. Azim is only seven fights in, with hardly any ring time behind him. The problem seems to be finding opponents able and willing to give Azim valuable seconds in the ring.

Rylan Charlton, the last fighter to try and solve the Azim puzzle last November, was supposed to give him rounds. Some even claimed he could push Azim hard. But Azim impressively, brutally, and frighteningly blew Charlton away inside two rounds. Despite his age and relative inexperience in the professional ranks, Azim might just be too good to be held back much longer.

Nicaragua’s Santos Reyes unbeaten in twelve fights is next for Boxxer’s potential superstar on Saturday night at Wembley Arena. Team Azim will hope that Reyes provides a little stiffer test than what Charlton did last time out. But in truth, if he goes three rounds, he would have done well. The odds say he won’t.

Azim is targeting a European title before he turns twenty-one, and that is a sensible route, but there are good domestic opponents out there for him also. Talk of a fight with the British super-lightweight champion Dalton Smith will not fade, despite the chances of the two sharing a ring anytime soon being remote at best. But Smith or not, the old-fashioned way of going through the levels is still the best learning ground for a fighter before any assault on the world stage. A minor detail that many a prospect overlooks. And to their cost.

Shane McGuigan, never one for false superlatives has stated that Azim is the best fighter he has ever trained. High praise indeed, although another one of his gym stars Caroline Dubois, who will also grace Saturday night’s Wembley bill, may well make him reflect on that statement in the coming years. Dubois is also likely to fight for a world title before Azim. But make no mistake, Azim has the potential to be a once-in-a-generation talent.

Boxxer’s working partnership with Sky Sports is still in its infancy, and their stable of fighters and crucially the depth of it will only grow throughout the coming months. Boxxer had many big nights last year, and they have already hit the ground running in 2023, but they have invested wisely in the future. The likes of Ben Whittaker, Lauren Price, Karriss Artingstall, Azim, and Dubois will undoubtedly see their brand flourish over the next few years. From a standing start and an empty roster, Boxxer has made impressive strides in developing into a boxing promotional powerhouse. Fighters like Azim are an integral part of their business plan. Maybe pivotal to it.

But while the potential is obvious, the present has to be handled on Saturday night before any real talk of what lies ahead begins. Reyes will hopefully come with durability and enough ambition to pose at least a few problems to solve for boxing’s latest prodigy.

Errol Christie is one of many fighters in boxing history who were supposed can’t miss prospects that ended up being anything but and were unable to deliver on all the hype and promise that surrounded them. Possessing all the talent in the world is no guarantee of success. Progress will need to be one of caution and method without the madness and the temptation to push the button too quickly. The ambition of Azim must be matched with sensible progressive matchmaking.

Azim could be something very special indeed, and Saturday night could be the start of a very big year for the prodigious talent. Reyes shouldn’t be underestimated, but he looks like the ideal opponent for Azim to add a little more shine to the narrative that he is potentially the future of British boxing.