With the recent, disappointing collapse of the Teofimo Lopez-Devin Haney fight, both men are now in need of their next opponent. And Britain’s Adam Azim has called out Haney, saying he would fight him “next week.” Azim, still only 22 years of age, is unbeaten at 13-0(10) and he has already won both the European and IBO 140 pound titles.
Next up, Azim will face late-replacement foe Eliot Chavez of Mexico, this on Saturday night’s card headlined by Callum Simpson-Ivan Zucco. Azim took the short-notice call, saying he is always in the gym and ready, so he sees no risk. But the big fight Azim wants is one with Haney.
Speaking with Sky Sports, Azim said he feels that if he did get a shot at Haney, he would “beat him with speed.”
“If he’s running on the back foot…why not?”
“I would fight Haney next week,” Azim said. “I just feel he’s more moving around and doesn’t want to initiate attacks. He is a top-level fighter but I don’t think he’s the same fighter that he was before. If he’s running on the back foot, throwing one jab every two rounds, why not? For me I can fight front foot and back foot. Haney, I think he’s got enough power just to keep someone off, but I don’t think he has that one-punch power. But I think if I was going to fight him I’d beat him with speed.”
Haney’s reputation on the line—will he bite?
Azim is far from the only person who feels Haney is not the same fighter that he used to be, this due to the punishment he took in his fight with Ryan Garcia. Haney looked every bit a gun-shy fighter when he returned to the ring to fight Jose Ramirez. Haney is badly in need of a good, strong performance if he’s to prove to the critics that he is not a fighter who is suffering from PTSD.
But would Haney want to fight Azim? Haney may not have even heard of the British star-in-the making. Azim has the look of a special talent, and it shows the level of confidence he has when he’s calling out an ultra-experienced fighter like Haney.
Let’s see if Haney and his team show any interest in this call-out.
