Azim will be better after facing criticism for first time ahead of title chance

15 September 2023 , 13:00

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Adam Azim beat Aram Fariian, but failed to secure a knockout

Every champion has a fight they look back on as their first rite of passage as a pro.

Adam Azim had his in his last engagement, which should place him in excellent stead when he challenges for the European super-lightweight title in November.

Azim took some stick two weeks ago on the Chris Eubank Jnr-Liam Smith undercard for not putting away Aram Fariian inside the ten rounds. He had him going in the eighth but chose the wrong options.

TV demands knockout reels but that is not his issue. We are in the business of building and educating a fighter, getting him to understand that sometimes you can hit guys flat out and they don’t fold.

Shane and the team have taken seven fighters to world titles, some from scratch. We know how it works, and just as importantly how it doesn’t.

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Azim is a phenomenal talent but that does not make him perfect. He has to put his punches together better. He caught Fariian with a tremendous left to the body. Fariian was gone. In those situations you have to let your hands go.

Azim was taking pot shots when he should have turned into a volume puncher. He let a KO get away as a consequence.

I recall being in the same situation against Charm Chitule in Belfast back in 1984, a tough ten- rounder against a very good opponent. Chitule was a clever counter puncher. I had him going in the tenth and was able to close it out, throwing a volley of punches and forcing the ref to step in.

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The difference is I had had 19 fights prior, not eight. I knew he was hurt. I knew I had him. That’s the instinct Azim has to refine.

Ultimately he did not have the nous to get Fariian out when he was in trouble. In the gym he can do it, but it is different under lights. He knows he missed an opportunity. He was disappointed but he won’t let that happen again.

Overall we were happy with the performance. It was a positive night against a tough opponent who would give any of the super-lightweight world champions a hard night.

I would be flabbergasted if any of them could stop him. Now Aziz has the chance to show he has learned from that experience when he challenges Frenchman Franck Petitjean for his European title.

It’s all about experience. Believe me, Azim will be better for it.

Follow Barry on Twitter at @ClonesCyclone @McGuigans_Gym

Barry McGuigan