‘I did not wish to struggle my pal however we’ve to – it is nothing private’

Adam Azim had to be convinced to fight his friend Ohara Davies – but once he saw the opportunity and pay cheque he decided to put the pals’ act on ice.

Now the Slough light-welterweight prospect is hoping a win over his mate can reignite the excitement in his career. Azim, 22, has been out of the ring since February after a nasty ankle injury curtailed his plans this year.

He was due to face Harlem Eubank in the summer until he got injured and the bout got shelved. That opened the door to a clash with former world title challenger Davies, who Azim knows well from his childhood days starting out at the famous Peacock Gym in London.

“At the first point I didn’t want to fight him,” said Azim. “But when you look at it, it’s more of a step up for me and the financials were very good for both of us. That’s why he wanted to fight me as well.

“We are friends but we have to do what we have to do, which is fight. It’s nothing personal. Dan Azeez and Josh Buatsi are good friends. They had to step in the ring with each other. We are friends before the fight and friends after. I’ll treat him to a bite to eat after the bout.”

The pair clash on Saturday night at the Copper Box Arena in London. Davies is coming off a defeat by Ismael Barroso in Las Vegas back in January. But it’s unbeaten Azim whose career has been stalled slightly as there was such a buzz behind him with 11 wins in a row.

He’s since had to relinquish the European title while it has been frustrating not being able to train. “It was hard for me,” he said.

“When I was at home I was ordering dumbbells, neck training weights online, I was keeping my diet low and trying to stay in shape. But I’m energetic and I have to be held back. Sometimes I need to be told not to train because I can overdo it.”

Azim has been talked about for a potential domestic clash with highly-rated Dalton Smith. The pair are with different promoters though which has not made the fight easy to make.

But the Slough man is not in a rush to bow to any demand to face Smith next. Azim said: “He can keep calling me out and wait his turn. That fight will come but he can wait.”