Adam Azim looked sensational when halting Rylan Charlton last time out; Finding opponents to risk fighting Azim will be the next challenge, says Ben Shalom; Azim's team would take Harlem Eubank fight next; "We're open to it," states his promoter Kalle Sauerland
Wednesday 7 December 2022 21:53, UK
Adam Azim will continue his rapid ascent through the super-lightweight ranks. Though he is only 20 years old and just seven bouts into his professional career, his team still expect him to be competing at European level and ranked in the major governing bodies before the end of next year.
Azim has looked electric in his performances so far, most recently stopping Rylan Charlton inside two rounds. His promoter is ready to match him with the 16-0 Harlem Eubank, Chris Eubank Jr's cousin, already.
"Let's see. He'll fight anyone, let's see if anyone wants to fight him," BOXXER's Ben Shalom said of Azim.
"I'd be very surprised if Harlem Eubank wants to get in the ring with Adam Azim. I think Adam will take anything. I wouldn't blame Harlem but I'd be surprised if he wants to get in and fair play if he does.
"I thought Rylan Charlton was extremely brave to do what he did and I think [Azim] is going to have put a lot of people off."
For Shalom, Azim made another statement with the manner of that win over Charlton.
"It was almost an announcement of Adam Azim, in terms of how good he can be, how good he is," Shalom told Sky Sports.
"He's a fighter that many will never have seen before. He's going to attract new fans to the sport and we saw that on Sunday. It's so exciting to be involved. The hardest thing is matching him because no one wants to get in the ring. But at the same time what an amazing problem to have.
"To have that with someone who's only had seven fights shows that he's a real special, special talent. I think one that British boxing needs."
Harlem Eubank has just come off a good 10-round points win over Tom Farrell. Kalle Sauerland, who promotes him, is open to making a fight with Azim.
"Great fight. There's Dalton Smith [the British champion] as well at that weight. That weight's really heating up on the local scene and all of them can go on to world level, that's the exciting thing. A lot of these British fights, at certain weights not all weights, but at certain weights has got that world feel to it," Sauerland told Sky Sports.
"We're open to it [fighting Azim]. We were looking just at that [last] fight, then we'll see. Adam Booth [Eubank's trainer], he never likes to talk about fights in the future so we'll sit down and work it out."
Shane McGuigan, who trains Azim, sees the appeal of a contest with Eubank. "100 per cent we would love that fight. We would love that fight on the undercard of Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith, a double header of Eubanks," he told Sky Sports.
He will continue to fast-track Azim. "I believe he's ready to fight for a European title right now. He can win the European title, it's whether from a marketability standpoint we're there yet. It's a process and there's no need to rush it because he's 20 years of age. Obviously myself and Jake [McGuigan] are managing his career and we've done a good job till now and I think from now on in it's really important when it comes to matchmaking. I'd love the Ray Moylette fight, we would like potentially even the Tom Farrell fight," he said.
"But that's where I think it will stop after that with domestic fighters. I think if we have those two fights next then we'll be going into the summer potentially fighting for a European title or at European level.
"At the end of 2023 we need to be ranked in the governing bodies. That's what the aim is. We want to be ranked with the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO. Whether we're going to get ranked with all of them I'm not sure but we want to be ranked in a few of them by the end of 2023 so we have to pick meaningful fights."
Shalom thinks the challenge will be getting the right fights for Azim. "I think domestically I really believe we're going to struggle, whatever people say, for people to want to get in the ring with Adam Azim because I think he can embarrass people," the promoter explained.
"He's 20 years old and it can be humiliating when someone can hit with that much power at that weight. I think we're going to look for international opponents and ones that can try and take him a bit longer.
"I think he's going to be doing this right up to world level. He wants to become a world champion very young as we all know and we've just got to guide him in the right way."
