Home Columns Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez – Results & Post Fight Report

Joshua Buatsi vs Dan Azeez – Results & Post Fight Report

Joshua Buatsi bested London rival Dan Azeez in a fiercely contested light heavyweight clash at Wembley Arena

By
Paul Mason
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Azeez will look to bounce back from defeat to Buatsi on Saturday night (Lawrence Lustig, Boxxer)
Azeez will look to bounce back from defeat to Buatsi on Saturday night (Lawrence Lustig, Boxxer)

Joshua Buatsi won the British and Commonwealth light heavyweight titles, and a WBA world title final eliminator, as he took a breathless unanimous decision win against Dan Azeez at Wembley Arena.

Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) had seen his career stall somewhat after boxing only twice since August 2021, and he had fought just once under the Boxxer banner after moving from Matchroom, a dour ten round points win against Pawel Stepien last May. His original meeting with Azeez (20-1, 13 KOs) was scheduled for last October, however Azeez was forced to withdraw through a back injury on fight week.

Buatsi put his punches together impressively in the fourth, and his left hand constantly found a home in the fifth, with Azeez gamely sticking to his task, but Buatsi was having the last word in the exchanges in the main.

Buatsi had settled into a groove, and as competitive as Azeez was, he needed to up the tempo to trouble the former Olympian, and the ninth saw absorbing action as both had their successes in close quarters.

It was a nip and tuck battle as the contest went into the later rounds, and the two exchanged in the penultimate frame, with Azeez letting go of short, compact shots, but in the final minute of the session, Buatsi scored a knockdown with a flurry of punches causing Azeez to slip and hit the deck.

On the resumption, Azeez went down once more, with a right hand landing as his momentum forced him to taste the canvas once more. Azeez knew a knockout was now needed in the last round, and he emptied his tank, and as he tired, Buatsi teed off, with the pair swapping blows as the final bell rang.

Two scores of 117-109, and a third at 116-110 saw Buatsi declared the victor, and a step closer to a meeting with Dmitry Bivol, the WBA champion.

Two late knockdowns ensured it was a wide win on the cards for Buatsi.(PA)
Two late knockdowns ensured it was a wide win on the cards for Buatsi.
(PA)
Azim, Whittaker and co shine on undercard

Adam Azim (11-0, 8 KOs) made a successful first defence of his European super lightweight title, as Enock Poulsen (14-1, 5 KOs) was stopped in the fifth round, thanks largely to a suspected dislocated shoulder. The contest was warming up nicely, although Azim was in control, but Poulsen was forced to take a knee as he felt the shoulder fail him, and the contest was over.

Azim retained his European title, albeit it in storage circumstances (Lawrence Lustig, Boxxer)
Azim retained his European title, albeit it in storage circumstances (Lawrence Lustig, Boxxer)

Caroline Dubois (9-0, 5 KOs) retained her IBO lightweight title, and moved closer to a shot at one of the โ€˜majorโ€™ four world title belts, as she routed Miranda Reyes (7-2-1, 3 KOs) over ten rounds. Dubois won all ten rounds on all three scorecards, as she secured a dominant win.

Ben Whittaker (6-0, 5 KOs) was his usual, flashy self, and he halted Khalid Graidia (10-14-5, 2 KOs) in the fifth round of a scheduled eight at light heavyweight. Whittaker dropped Garaidia in the second round with a body shot, and then went through his showman repertoire, before putting together a series of spiteful punches in the fifth to force the refereeโ€™s intervention.

Jeamie TKV (6-1, 3 KOs) got back to winning ways after a shock loss last time out, and he banked a six round points win against Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko (10-15-1, 7 KOs) in their heavyweight attraction. TKV came through 58-55 on the refereeโ€™s card.

Fran Hennessey (3-0, 1 KO) opened the show, and won her six rounder at bantamweight against Laura Belen Valdebenito (5-6-1, 2 KOs) by a 60-53 margin.

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