Adam Azim (standing) appears to be like over a fallen Ohara Davies in his Oct. 19 eighth spherical knockout at Copper Field Enviornment in Hackney Wick, London. Picture credit score: Chris Dean, BOXXER
A pivotal crossroads bout noticed one facet advance, and the opposite name it a profession.
Adam Azim turned in a terrific efficiency in an eighth-round knockout of Ohara Davies. Azim scored two knockdowns, the latter which pressured the stoppage at 1:18 of spherical eight Saturday at Copper Field Enviornment in Hackney Wick, London.
The Sky Sports activities/Peacock+ most important occasion, offered by BOXXER, noticed Azim, 22, work behind the jab early earlier than he finally unloaded his full arsenal. Davies, 32, threatened a combat early earlier than he rapidly tightened up his guard.
A extra aggressive second spherical noticed Davies attempt to unload his left hook. Azim made the defensive adjustment to keep away from getting caught by a fluke shot and continued along with his disciplined assault.
The proper hand started to movement with better regularity within the third for Azim. His rising confidence within the weapon paved the best way to develop his left hook within the fourth as Davies rapidly ran out of solutions.
Azim scored the primary knockdown on the evening halfway via the fifth spherical. A left hook caught Davies slightly below his proper elbow, which produced a delayed response knockdown. Davies beat the depend, however his nostril was already bloodied and nicely down on the playing cards to that time.
Motion continued because the combat entered the second half of the competition. Davies refused to wilt however didn’t have something to maintain his youthful, unbeaten foe at bay.
Azim (12-0, 9 knockouts) discovered his house run shot within the eighth. A left hook upstairs pressured Davies to the touch his proper hand to the facet of the top earlier than he went to the canvas. Referee Mark Lyson issued his depend earlier than Davies’ nook known as for the top of the bout.
It may additionally show to be his closing time getting into the ring as a professional boxer.
“I’ve had my time within the sport of boxing ten years. This may be the top of my boxing profession,” famous Davies (25-4, 18 KOs). “I nonetheless have my colleges. This may the top of my profession and I’m honored it got here in opposition to Adam Azim.”
There’s rather a lot to love about Azim, who earned the most important win of his promising profession.
The Shane McGuigan-trained boxer wanted this second after a irritating 2024 marketing campaign. He noticed alternatives fall via for floated bouts versus countrymen Dalton Smith and Harlem Eubank. The latter bout was all however accomplished for earlier this month, however a clerical difficulty triggered BOXXER to lose out on the date.
All of it labored out in the long run.
“It was my greatest efficiency,” insisted Azim, agreeing with the overall consensus. “I needed to be switched on for [Davies]. He’s my buddy however he’s additionally a world title contender, very harmful. It’s unhappy as a result of we’re buddies. It doesn’t matter what occurred in right here, I obtained a lot love for him.”
Davies—who was born in close by Hackney—has now misplaced two in a row.
He teased the potential for retirement previous to the combat, which got here 9 months after a Jan. 6 1st spherical knockout to Ismael ‘Abuelo’ Barroso. Davies received six in a row to that time, together with a ninth-round knockout of Lewis Ritson of their WBA title eliminator final March. It was sufficient to earn a shot on the interim WBA 140-pound belt, solely to go away Vegas empty-handed after the crushing defeat to Barroso.
Saturday’s loss left him resigned to pave the best way for the following era.
“Adam is excellent,” acknowledged Davies. “He’s rather a lot higher than I assumed, rather a lot higher than I anticipated. Adam is gonna go far on this sport.”
For now, Azim will accept revisiting his current previous.
“I wish to combat Dalton Smith subsequent 12 months,” insisted Azim. “I wish to combat Harlem Eubanknext 12 months. However pay attention, [Davies] is harder than all these [fighters] are.”
