Adam Azim “is not far” like the boxing superstar Gervont ‘Tank’ Davis and Ryan Garcia, according to his coach Shane McGuigan.
The 22-year-old Briton should continue charging to the top of the sport when he takes over former world champion Sergei Lipinette in London on Saturday.
Azim has won all 12 of his professional competitions to date, with his ninth knockout victory – last time against Ohar Davies in October – suggesting that there is much more.
McGuigan said Sky Sports: “As we have seen with the struggle with O’Har, all the things we have been working on at the gym for years and years that have just come to light.
“Now that he has confidence that he can push people back, work up close with gloves of eight ounces, against kicks like O’Hara – this has always been a danger with O’Har, he is technically limited, but he and he and he power.
“And now we have another guy who wears decent power, he was a former world champion, we were just beaten by the best fighters in the division. It’s a huge step for him, but it’s also the beginning of a huge 2025. And think if he gets a win stopping, then it really puts it on the map.
“It’s a complex division at 140. You have a Davis Tank, you have Ryan Garcia, a lot of massive names and I don’t think it’s far from them.”
Davis, a lightweight World WBA champion, is one of the pounds of pounds for pounds that raised a 30-0 record with 28 knockouts, including the stop of Garcia in 2023.
‘Azim will be one of the best British fighters
McGuigan trained several world champions, including the characters of David Haye, George Groves, Carla Frampton and Josh Taylor, but insists that Azim has the potential to be one of the British greats.
“I’m more convinced now than ever before Adam Azim will be a superstar, that it will be one of the best fighters we have ever had, truly,” McGuigan said.
“What I see in the gym is scary. I saw the fighters go by, Josh Taylor, the second world champions, two world champions and never saw what I see in the gym – this child is so special.
“He did not quite show it, he had no opponents to show what he was capable of, but what we get up to that ladder further, the more he would show.
“You get a lot of fighters who look great when they are at that low level and they get that time and space, they look sensational, but when someone closes the gap and starts to make him fight the dog.
“He is the opposite, he manages to do so and will look sensational in the next fight, but also in the next 12 months.”
Watch Adam Azim against Sergei Lipinette on Saturday 1st February live on Sky Sports. Stream Sky Sports with now – No Treaty, cancel anytime
