Get ready for a rumble in London as the world’s top-ranked Joshua Buatsi squares off against second-ranked Dan Azeez. This all-British fight is set to take place at London’s O2 arena on Saturday, October 21st.
Buatsi and Azeez, from humble beginnings on the South London streets to the pinnacle of global boxing, have shifted from friends to competitors. Their goal is clear – to seize the world stage, assert domestic dominance, and become the undisputed leader of London’s light-heavyweight division.
Neither of these two boxers have tasted defeat in their professional careers. Their shared ethos of friendship will take a backseat as they step into the ring. The quick ascension of Azeez is now directing him towards a clash with Buatsi, an Olympic medalist.
Sky Sports will be the exclusive broadcaster of the event in the UK and Ireland.
The ties that bind Buatsi and Azeez go beyond friendship. They both started their boxing journeys at the same South London amateur club. However, their paths diverged dramatically from there, leading them to this electrifying juncture.
Buatsi, after winning a bronze medal for Team GB at the 2016 Olympics, turned professional. Meanwhile, Azeez focused on completing his finance degree before stepping into professional boxing, starting from the bottom of small-hall cards.
Azeez’s tough journey to the top has seen him shatter records. He is the only light-heavyweight in British boxing history to win every British Boxing Board of Control domestic title, from the area title to national, British, and Commonwealth championships.
Buatsi, a former British light-heavyweight champion, made a powerful comeback earlier this year, overpowering the previously undefeated Pawel Stepien. Azeez traveled to Paris and overcame French champion Thomas Fauré to win the European Light-Heavyweight Championship.
Also, confirmed for October 21st is the British cruiserweight championship showdown between Mikael Lawal and Isaac Chamberlain. A simmering rivalry between these two Londoners ignited during a press conference earlier this year and looks set to explode when they meet in the ring.
Azeez – BUatsi Undercard
Commonwealth super-welterweight champ Louis ‘The Medway Mauler’ Greene (16-3, 10 KOs) is set for his third title defense against Sam ‘Magic Man’ Gilley (16-1, 8 KOs). This crucial fight will be part of the undercard for BOXXER: BUATSI VS AZEEZ – PATHS COLLIDE on Saturday, October 21, at The O2 in London. The winner is also in line for a shot at the British title.
Last November, Greene claimed the Commonwealth title with a fifth-round knockout and defended it successfully in May, delivering another knockout win. He traveled from Kent to the home city of challenger Paul Kean in Dundee and definitively concluded the contest in the sixth round without relying on the judges.
Fighting from Walthamstow, English super-welterweight champ Gilley earned this opportunity against Greene back in June. He defeated Ellis Corrie at London’s historic York Hall with a knockout punch to the body, marking his third knockout win in his last four fights.
Also on the card is 2020 Olympics bronze medalist Karriss Artingstall (4-0), who will make her fifth professional appearance at The O2 in London. She will be involved in an eight-round fight as she aims to climb the rankings. Her opponent will be announced shortly.
Adding fuel to the fire is a ten-round super-welterweight fight featuring Michael Hennessy (11-1, 2 KOs) — the son of veteran British boxing manager Mick Hennessy and brother to recent BOXXER signee Fran Hennessy — against Harley Benn (9-2, 1 KO), who is the son of former two-weight world champion Nigel Benn.
BOXXER: BUATSI VS AZEEZ – PATHS COLLIDE will be broadcast live and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports. This event is brought to you in partnership with official sponsors Everlast, WOW HYDRATE, and Village Hotels.
The main event is a clash between undefeated light-heavyweights Joshua Buatsi (17-0, 13 KOs) and ‘Super’ Dan Azeez (19-0, 13 KOs). This fight could have significant implications on the world stage.
The British cruiserweight championship will also be decided as defending champion Mikael Lawal goes head-to-head with Isaac Chamberlain, aiming to resolve their long-standing rivalry once they finally step into the ring.
Tickets are now available and can be purchased via BOXXER.com.
