Azeem to face James in a tough title battle
Hamza Azeem….a belting clash in Northampton. Pic: Manjit Narotra/BCB
KINGS Heath southpaw Hamza Azeem again rolls the dice as he bids for his first title.
And the 26-year-old will start an underdog on BCB’s July 17 show at the Mercure Hotel, Northampton.
In the opposite corner will be hometown favourite Eithan James, a former WBO European welter champ who has faced such top names as Owen Cooper, Constantin Urdu and James Moorcroft. In an 18 bout career – two losses – he’s battled for the English and Commonwealth welter belts.
On the line in the 10 rounder will be the vacant Commonwealth international light-middle title.
Azeem, by day a custody officer ferrying prisoners from jail to jail, believes in taking risks.
Last April in Riyadh, he tangled with Australian powerhouse Dylan Biggs, a man who had lost only one of 15 contest and stopped nine opponents. What’s more, he took the fight at eight days notice.
Biggs, from Beaudesert, Queensland, had twice been the 10 round distance, was ranked fourth in Australia and his sole defeat came against world ranked Nikita Tszyu for his country’s light-middleweight title. Hamza lost a clear six round decision, was docked a point in the fourth for holding, but tested the prospect and emerged unscathed.
That’s his only loss in 10. Azeem has come on leaps and bounds since his debut in 2022 – and believes the Biggs test has taken him to another level.
After it, he told me: “My career is a journey and this was part of the journey.
“He wasn’t a better boxer than me, he was just strong. He can punch, but he didn’t hurt me. If I’d had a proper camp, I would’ve done things differently. The fight made me realise what I can achieve, what’s coming.”
The stacked undercard features the return of Nico Michael following his Midlands title challenge, as well as former English light-heavyweight title challenger Michael Stephenson. Unbeaten duo Callum Latimer and Guillaume Azagier are both in action, alongside the big-hitting Connor Parker, who completes the line-up.