BRITISH boxing has one thing very particular in Adam Azim. The 20-year-old Slough super-lightweight was completely unfazed by being afforded principal occasion standing on the Sky Sports activities-televised Boxxer promotion at Alexandra Palace, destroying Rylan Charlton in two rounds.
Sure, Azim was anticipated to win – however it was the way of victory that impressed. Azim acquired the job completed rapidly with out speeding or loading up.
Powerfully-built Charlton stored a excessive guard however merely couldn’t deal with the pace and number of his opponent, who jabbed well to the physique then switched again upstairs. Midway by way of the opener a proper to the highest of the pinnacle had Charlton (Norwich) on unsteady legs earlier than a left-right put him down on one knee.
An enormous left uppercut floored him for one more eight rely and though he survived the session, the tip got here rapidly in spherical two. Azim threw a proper cross over Charlton’s left that landed on the aspect of his head and despatched him crashing into the ropes, then down. Referee Chas Coakley waved it off instantly after 42 seconds and it was introduced as a knockout.
Additionally ending early was the 12-rounder for the vacant British cruiserweight title that noticed Mikael Lawal topped when David Jamieson retired with a broken jaw after the eighth.
Jamieson, from East Kilbride, got here in at simply 10 days’ discover and posed Lawal loads of issues together with his sheer physicality, typically pushing the Shepherds Bush man again to the ropes. However Lawal boasted the higher method together with the higher dig and number of shot, and regarded a pair rounds up when the tip got here.
Uppercuts scored effectively for the Londoner all through and when a left hook made Jamieson seize in spherical six it appeared the Scot was sporting down. He edged the seventh however copped two arduous left hooks late in spherical eight earlier than his nook withdrew him within the interval with blood clearly seen within the boxer’s mouth.
Referee Michael Alexander accepted the retirement, whereas judges had been Howard Foster, John Latham and Bob Williams.
Having featured in one of many fights of the 12 months when stopping Drew Brown in April, Walthamstow’s Sam Gilley had a extra easy outing when he outpointed Sean Robinson to retain his English super-welterweight title.
After 10 fascinating rounds Gilley acquired house unanimously at 98-91 for judges Foster and Williams, plus 97-93 for Latham. Mr Alexander refereed.
It appeared scorecards won’t be required when in spherical six Robinson (Ruislip) walked onto a crunching proper that dropped him arduous. He survived the session and was by no means in huge bother once more, however it underlined the distinction in energy between the pair.
Gilley additionally had the sting in expertise, utilizing his lengthy limbs to regulate the motion as soon as he acquired right down to enterprise in spherical three. He piled up factors with the jab, stung the challenger with a left hook late in spherical 4 and, when Robinson took extra probabilities within the later classes, pot-shotted with sharp rights.
An intriguing super-middle 10-rounder between Lerrone Richards and Zak Chelli fell by way of when, after the day gone by’s weigh-in, Richards returned to his lodge and injured his head in a fall.
And there have been weird scenes when heavyweights Jeamie Tshikeva (Tottenham) and Joel Ducille (Birmimgham) entered the ring for his or her six-rounder after the primary occasion – solely to should get out once more as a result of the required ambulance was not on the venue (each Jamieson and Charlton had been taken to hospital after their defeats).
The bout ultimately went on with referee Sean McAvoy rescuing an under-fire Ducille to provide Tshikeva a first-round stoppage.
Two six-rounders, each dealt with by referee Coakley, noticed prospects stay unbeaten towards sturdy African opposition.
Hassan Azim, Adam’s older brother, boxed his technique to a 60-55 verdict over powerful Namibian Nestor Amukoto at welterweight, whereas Penygraig super-feather Rhys Edwards used his quicker fingers to win 60-54 towards Alex Kabore from Burkina Faso.
Sevenoaks super-welter Michael Hennessy Jr chipped away steadily towards James McCarthy earlier than buckling him in spherical 4 and prompting referee McAvoy to rescue the Liverpudlian with 2-46 on the clock. It was set for six.
McAvoy handed Watford super-fly Shannon Ryan a 60-54 victory after her super-flyweight six-twos towards Bulgaria’s Ivanka Ivanova.
THE VERDICT: A uncommon Sunday afternoon present produces loads of leisure.
