Adam Azim Comes Clean on “Embarrassing” Celebration After Receiving Backlash; Issues an Apology

Adam Azim has come under fire following his knockout victory over Enock Poulsen on Saturday night. The fight which was part of the undercard of the Joshua Buatsi vs. Dan Azeez clash, took place at the OVO Arena Wembley in London. The bout between Azim and Paulsen concluded unexpectedly in the 5th round. Paul had already experienced three dislocations in his right shoulder during a previous title bout in 2022. This time the right hook that he threw ricocheted off Azim’s arm, causing Poulsen’s shoulder to dislocate once again. While the young British super-lightweight contender maintained his unbeaten record and defended his European title successfully, the manner in which he secured the win seemed to fall short of expectations.

Recognizing the familiar pain after the botched hit, Poulsen dropped to his knee and, acknowledging his inability to continue, opted to sit out the count. The fight concluded at 2:39 of the fifth round. As an injured Poulsen walked back to his corner with an evidently dislocated shoulder, Azim was busy doing backflips in celebration. As one would expect, this evoked a harsh response from the fans which was reported by TalkSPORT. The boxer, however, has since tried to shed light on his side of the story. Let us see what he had to say.

Adam Azim’s backflips force him to apologize

Fans started calling his reaction “cringe” and “embarrassing”. They found it to be disrespectful of Azim to be celebrating like that while his opponent was in agonizing pain. Responding to TalkSPORT’s X post about the fan reactions, Azim said: “I only realised that his shoulder popped afterwards – the ref counted him out I was confused and I thought it may been from a contact, I apologise to Poulsen and the team afterwards for the celebration.” 

Apparently, Azim was unaware of the dislocated shoulder. He assumed the referee’s decision was based on a certain punch that connected. Oblivious of the situation, he could not hold in his excitement. ‘The Assasin’ even made sure to apologize to Poulsen and his team after he realized what he had done. As he moves on from the fight, what plans does he have for himself next?

Adam Azim eyeing the big names

At just 21 years old and 10 fights into his professional career, European champion Adam Azim has ambitious plans, aiming to secure a world title by the end of 2024. Expressing his desire for significant matchups, Azim envisions future super-fights with the likes of Teofimo Lopez and Ryan Garcia. Azim believes a showdown with Lopez is inevitable, expressing the hope of claiming the world title from him. While acknowledging Garcia as another potential opponent, Azim emphasizes his interest in facing Devin Haney as well.

Read More: Teofimo Lopez, Amanda Serrano, Among Other World-Champion Boxers Reveal Their Secret to Success

“If I had one person to fight I think I would fight Haney. He’s skilful. I think I’d beat him. I think I’d be too fast for him. I’d be too fast and powerful for him,” he said. Azim sees himself as too fast and powerful for Haney, citing the latter’s preference for aggressive opponents. Azim also criticizes Haney’s performance against Lomachenko, asserting that Lomachenko’s superior skills were evident in the bout between the two.

While Azim prepares for his journey ahead, do you believe the celebration was an honest mistake on the boxer’s side? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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