Steve Claggett has not been invited to London to beat junior welterweight Adam Azim, he’s in Britain to be the final stepping stone in the hotshot’s quest towards a world title. The Canadian’s job, then, is to remain sturdy and teach the 24-year-old a few things he hasn’t seen before. It’s a role that countless fighters, and always those perceived to be on the way down, have occupied.
Now and again, however, the desire from the stepping stone is too great. Their experience proves too much, they grow too slippery, and the young fighter attempting to get to the other side, such is the unexpected pressure suddenly upon them, loses their footing and falls.
“I put my whole life into this game and I’m ready to show it on fight night,” Claggett, the stepping stone of this piece, said ahead of Saturday’s 12-rounder, promoted by Boxxer, at Wembley Arena. “The fight’s the fight. The details, they’ll all be sorted out.
“He’s very good. He’s sharp, he’s fast but every fight is a new fight – we’ve prepared for the very best version of him.”
That’s not in doubt. Claggett, 40-8-2 (28 KOs) and 36 years old, has won two on the bounce since unexpectedly lasting the distance with Teofimo Lopez in a 2024 bid for the WBO 140lbs title.
But he is the heavy underdog here with good reason. And Shane McGuigan, the revered coach of Azim, is expecting the stepping stone to be just that.
“We picked someone that Adam could gain experience from,” McGuigan said, admitting that Claggett was hand-picked to play the role, while also retaining respect for the veteran. “Steve Claggett, this is his [51st] fight coming up and he hasn’t been stopped in 15 years. You can’t find footage of him getting stopped. You see him walking straight through Teofimo Lopez’s power; he’s durable, he’s going to set a high pace, he’s everything that Adam needs before going into world level.
“It’s always a risky business, matching someone at world level like that, but we’re very confident in our man.”
Azim, 14-0 (11 KOs), has always shared his coach’s confidence.
“What [Claggett] doesn’t know is that my gas tank is better than his gas tank,” said the 24-year-old. “I’ve just got to be myself, put in a cool and clinical performance. If the stoppage comes, then great.”
Azim is widely expected to cross safely.
“We want a world title after this and there’s huge names there,” said McGuigan. “Dalton Smith is there, and they’ve been paired a lot in recent years. Adam wants to do the same – go out and win a world title.
“I’ve worked with some amazing talent over the years – George Groves, Josh Taylor, many, many world champions – and this guy [Azim] he supersedes them all in terms of ability.”
