ON JANUARY 28, when Anthony Yarde was dropped and stopped by the great Artur Beterbiev in London, two other British light-heavyweights watched on from a sofa more than 4,000 miles away in Florida. Dan Azeez and Callum Smith, both trained by Buddy McGirt, had headed over to the Hall of Famer’s pad to watch the clash at the very top of their division that sunny evening on the east coast.
There is a chance Smith may face Beterbiev later this year, so the Liverpool puncher was naturally keeping a close eye on proceedings. For Azeez, who openly admits he is probably 18 months away from a fight of that magnitude, it was a chance for him to see where he is heading. What’s more, the South Londoner knows Beterbiev well, having spent time in camp with him as a sparring partner during 2022. He knows what is required for him to reach the Russian’s level.
“THERE’S A NICE BEACH HERE, BUT MOST OF THE TIME I'M SO SHATTERED I JUST WANT TO GO TO BED”
For Azeez,
