Adam Azim, now 12-0 (10 KOs), produced a stunning display to stop Ohara Davies (25-4, 18 KOs) in eight rounds at the Copper Box Arena in London, England.
Azim and Davies had spent all fight week talking up their admiration and respect for each other after spending a stint together as amateurs in the Peacock Boxing Gym. You wouldn’t have thought the pair were close during the contest, however, with both throwing with bad intentions from the off.
Azim clearly had the edge in every department and after he dropped Davies in Round 5 it seemed only a matter of time before the contest came to a close.
The end came in the eighth, when Azim, 22, delivered one of his trademark hooks to the head and Davies stayed down for the full 10-count. Azim had impressed a packed-out London crowd in his biggest test of his professional career.
At the sound of the first bell, all Azim’s respect for Davies went out the window as he asserted his dominance behind a stiff left jab. Davies didn’t want to over-commit and backed off, attempting counters but having little success.
Azim’s blistering speed was on full display and Davies did well to avoid his lightening quick right hand. Azim, though, was continuing to hunt down Davies and it seemed only a matter of time before one of his powerful shots landed.
Davies, 32, appeared to grow in confidence in the third and started throwing his long leaver, punishing Azim for keeping his left hand low. He caught Azim and smiled but the youngster came out for the fourth with bad intentions. The two friends met toe to toe and swung away at each other, forgetting all about their history. The round then ended with a smile from both, and the two tapped gloves as they returned to their corners.
The fight started to heat up in the fifth; Azim’s shots were landing and landing hard. Ohara was smiling through the blood pouring from his nose but a left to the body eventually brought him to his knees. He sucked up the pain and survived the round but this time Azim was not interested when Davies attempted to touch gloves.
Azim returned to his boxing in the sixth, using his razor-sharp jab to bust up the face of Davies. The 32-year-old, however, finished the round well, landing two left hooks before the bell sounded. Davies was looking more and more defeated as the rounds went by and, when he returned to his corner after the seventh, his cornerman had a stern word.
He came out for the eighth with more determination, but it didn’t matter. Azim landed a lightning-quick left hook which landed behind Davies’ guard. Davies slumped to the floor and had the look of defeat on his face. The fighter stayed down for referee Mark Lyson’s full 10-count. Azim ran over to console his former stablemate; he had said before the contest that they were friends before and they would be friends after. The time of the stoppage was 1 minute 18 seconds of the eighth round.
By Tom Ivers