Joshua Buatsi and Dan Azeez have a lot in common.
Both are unbeaten British light-heavyweights. Both are from the same area of south-east London. Both want the same thing – a shot at one of the world titles.
The issue is – to get it they have to fight each other, and only one can win.
Buatsi and Azeez fight tonight, live on Sky Sports, at the OVO Arena Wembley in an eliminator for the WBA title.
Highly ranked with other sanctioning bodies too, the winner of this bout will be established as the leading contender in the light-heavyweight division.
The two Londoners do have a past friendship and a past as sparring partners. But boxing each other will not be a problem for them. Because they have another thing in common. Both of them love to fight.
That’s why Buatsi started boxing when he was a teenager. “I found out that you can fight and not get in trouble. You are allowed to fight, so that’s what drew me closer to the sport,” he recalled with a grin.
“Outside on the streets you get in trouble. I was like, wow, this is something where you can wear gloves and they encourage you to fight.
“When I first joined South Norwood & Victory [his amateur club], years and years ago, I was thinking wow we’re allowed to hit each other and the coaches are just standing there encouraging it… It’s amazing.”
That set him on a path that saw him win an Olympic medal in 2016, enjoy professional success and find himself now potentially one win away from a world title shot.
“I always made the joke, how is me punching up somebody or someone trying to take off my head going to change my life or give opportunities? But the longer we stayed on course and we were more successful, I see it changes your life,” Buatsi told Sky Sports.
“It takes you around the world. You meet different cultures, you meet different people, you learn different lessons. It’s an amazing sport.
“There’s nothing like two honest guys coming up against each other, one on one, settling out whatever differences they have over 12 rounds, with people watching, it’s an amazing thing.”
Azeez wants them to put on a great fight. He wants it to be London’s answer to Arturo Gatti vs Micky Ward.
“I hope so,” he told Sky Sports. “The most important thing is to get the win but I want it to be a real entertaining fight and one for the ages.
