Adam Azim received a dash of criticism for saying, in February 2025, that his all-British rivalry with Dalton Smith was “still marinating”.
Back then, ‘The Assassin’ had just defeated Sergey Lipinets while Smith, now a WBC world champion, was coming off a first-round finish over the little-known Walid Ouizza.
Suffice to say, neither man had cemented himself as a household name, or even a top-level contender, and yet their domestic dustup was debated among boxing circles time and again.
A selection of impatient fans therefore took issue with Azim’s comments, urging him to be more bullish in his pursuit of a clash with the Sheffield man.
All along, though, Azim knew that, in order to maximise the magnitude of their matchup – and, in turn, their earning potential – both of them would need to become world champions.
Thankfully, Smith has already fulfilled his end of the bargain, courtesy of a fifth-round finish over Subriel Matias in January, while Azim is potentially just one or two fights away from following suit.
“If I win a world title and he’s [still] got a world title, we’ll make a unification [match],” the 24-year-old tells media outlets, including bet365. “It would be a massive showdown.
“I think it's coming very soon; I think it's definitely around the corner. Maybe this year, or maybe next year.”
Expecting their fight to materialise this year is perhaps wishful thinking, while a date in 2027 could become realistic if they both remain in the win column.
Smith would need to retain his WBC title against Alberto Puello, who he was set to face on June 6 before an injury ruled him out of action.
With their fight due to take place later this year, though, a successful performance from the 29-year-old could free him of any foreseeable mandatory obligations.
Azim, meanwhile, is returning from an injury himself, having not fought since his 12th-round stoppage of Kurt Scoby in November.
He was, of course, supposed to face Gustavo Lemos earlier this year, only for both fighters to suffer injuries, with the fully-recovered contender now inching closer towards facing Steve Claggett at Wembley Arena, London, this Saturday.
With a win over Claggett, Azim expects to be headlining another Boxxer show on the BBC in September, hoping to enter a world level fight of some description.
