Adam Azim not remotely impressed by choice of ‘the opponent’ for Dalton Smith

Adam Azim has predicted Dalton Smith will “absolutely smash” Walid Ouizza when on Saturday they contest the European junior-welterweight title.

Smith and Ouizza are to fight at the Nottingham Arena in Nottingham, England, and Azim, not only Smith’s long-term rival but the former European champion, will be monitoring his progress.

A week later Azim enters his biggest test against the proven Sergey Lipinets, and it is perhaps the knowledge of that that is in his mind when he dismisses the threat posed by Ouizza, of France.

Azim, similarly, respects the 27-year-old Smith’s abilities – and to the extent he expects him to one day win a world title – but that respect has contributed to him questioning Smith’s willingness to fight Ouizza, 33 and an opponent Azim insists he had never heard of despite all three long competing at 140lbs.

“I think he’s gonna absolutely smash the opponent,” he told BoxingScene. “I’ll be honest, I’d never heard of the opponent before. I had to go on Google to search up the guy, whoever he’s fighting. 

“I want him to win anyway, because it builds up our fight, so hopefully he wins, and I win, and we keep progressing forwards.

“I’d never heard of the opponent, and when you haven’t heard of the opponent and have to Google the opponent, obviously – yeah – he’s definitely gonna beat the opponent.

“[Smith’s] a good fighter, and I just hope he wins. He’s definitely going to win – I have no doubt about that.

“I think he can win a world title. I think he can.”

After a period in which both fighters spoke of their determination to fight each other they appear to have become committed to their separate paths.

Azim regardless expects them to fight in the future – when they are both proven at world level – and also explained that he believes Smith has been “rattled” by the admirable progress he has made.

“The other day people were asking me about Dalton Smith, and I said to them, ‘I’d completely smash him’, and he’s the one who’s gone a bit quiet now,” he said. “I think he’s a bit rattled that I’ve been answering back to these questions. 

“I hope he wins this week, and hopefully I win next week, and I pick up a world title and he picks up a world title, and we both can make it a massive British showdown. A bit like Kell Brook versus [Amir] Khan, and Anthony Joshua versus Tyson Fury, and [Chris] Eubank and Conor Benn. You need another domestic fight like that.

“If he wins or loses, there’s always the opportunity that we can still fight. Look at Khan versus Kell Brook, for instance. Look at ‘AJ’ versus Tyson Fury – they had losses in their career but they can still make the fight. They can still fight. You’ve got Conor Benn versus Eubank [Jnr]. You’ve got Eubank who’s lost a couple of times and you’ve got Conor Benn who hasn’t lost. There’s always opportunity that can come those ways.”