Ringside Report Takes a Closer Look at Light Heavyweight Prospect Dan Azeez – Boxing News
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
As well as having the might privilege of looking back at the great fighters of yesteryear, writing for Ringside Report allows me to keep my eye out for any up-and-coming fighters not quite getting the publicity they deserve. One such fighter who has just defended his English title is Dan Azeez, 13-0, 8 KO’s.
A light heavyweight, in a packed division, not just in the UK but worldwide, Azeez has not found the politics of boxing all that easy to navigate.
His route to the professional game is quite unusual insofar as he has a degree in accounting and finance. It was whilst he was at University that his passion for the sport was ignited and by 2013, he was winning the Box Cup tournament, having already picked up the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) South of England championship in an amateur career that saw him fight no less than 60 times. It’s a very unorthodox rise for the Essex man and he was inspired to take up the sport as he watched the rise of a certain amateur called Anthony Joshua. It further inspired his journey. In a recent interview he recollected the effect it had on him, ‘The way [Joshua] beat up his opponents, that’s what inspired me,’ he said. ‘I was like “Wow, this is cool man. I wanna do this.” It was his studious nature which helped as he would watch the videos of David Haye and kept an eye out for a sport which he loved to spectate but became so intrigued he decided to participate.
Four years after winning the Box Cup, he made the switch from the amateurs to the pros and at the Brentwood Centre in Essex, on the 2nd of December 2017, he made his debut. Against Daniel Borisov, he managed a points win but also to knock Borisov to the canvas twice in what must have been an absolute eye opening beginning to his career.
Television audiences who tuned into the Dillian Whyte/Oscar Rivas fight early enough would have also seen him, in his 9th professional fight, on the 20th July 2019 at the 02 Arena, London with the Southern Area title on the line. Up against Charlie Duffield, it was a dominating performance that forced Duffield’s corner in the 6th round, to throw in the towel.
In the pro game in the UK, and if you listen to the “old timers”, then the way to prominence was to box hard and work hard and get an area title. Once you had that, then you worked towards the English title. After that a British title, the Commonwealth, the European and then it is time for the world title. The plethora of international, intercontinental and other titles now around it is not the only route to world honors.
For Azeez the Southern Area title was the route to the English title and from there you would think a British title shot should be assured. For many American readers, there are people who think England and Britain are the same place… they aint… The English title is a decent one to have but you are King of one country, not of the whole conglomerate…
On the 14th of December 2019, Azeez, thanks to a points win against the previously undefeated Lawrence Osueke, won the vacant English title at the Brentwood centre. Having had the taste of the big time at the 02 it was back to bread and butter winning, ducking and diving.
On the 2nd of September 2020, during lockdown he got in the ring and successfully defended it with a 9th round stoppage against Andre Sterling. Again, not a big studio number for the TV…
Just a few short weeks ago, he was back to defend it once more – this time taking on a more experienced Ricky Summers in Bolton. It was a split decision win in a fantastic fight that afterwards begged a question. I have known British fighters with less ability get their British title shot, get their European shot and then show how shot they are when they fall… short. Azeez is well past that point. His showing against Summers, though one judge gave it to Summers, deserves an opportunity for British honors. Perhaps though, his having to work so hard for it means that when it comes, he shall be hungrier, more grateful and therefore much more successful than some who have come behind him. No matter what – it looks like a very serious guy is making a massive impact and one we should be celebrating far more. Azeez has truly worked himself into contention, time for the politics of the sport to give him what he deserves… watch any space you want to see if he makes it…
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