Adam Azim calls for world title fight after brilliant blitz of Steve Claggett

LONDON, England – Steve Claggett walked to the ring at Wembley Arena to the Frank Sinatra classic That’s Life and he might be wondering what is next for his after a resounding three-round defeat at the blazing hands of Adam Azim.

Slough’s Azim, with some of the fastest fists in the sport today, was a violent blur and while Claggett had seen much in his 18-year career, it’s unlikely he’s seen anything like Azim.

Azim is ready for much more than this and could do with being let off the leash, though the queue to face him will not be long.

“He took Teofimo [Lopez] 12 rounds, I’ve done my job,” said Azim. “Ben Shalom, get me a world title, man.”

“That was ridiculous,” said promoter Shalom. “He beats every fighter in the 140 division.

“He’s an absolute superstar. That was phenomenal.”

Claggett had been stopped just once in 50 fights and not since 2011 but the end was inevitable early on here and it was formally over at 1:13 of the third round.

In the opening exchanges, Azim found a home for bodyshots, both the left hook and the right uppercut. Calggett was also looking for left hooks, but paid the price when he had his head snapped back by a right.

The crowd sighed as Azim fired off a left to the pit of the visitor’s stomach and applauded when he paired it with a right hand in a busy opener.

By the time Claggett went back to the corner his face was a bloody and swollen mess.

To his credit, Claggett dug in, but his successes were isolated by comparison to the torrent of spiteful leather that was constantly hurtling in his direction through the second.

A right hand buckled Claggett’s legs and Azim followed up to dump the Canadian on the canvas for a count.

The bell sounded and as Claggett walked back to his corner he rolled his eyes.

Perhaps he thought, “That’s life.”

We found out what happens in the third when you match speed and power against raw courage and it turns out it isn’t pretty. Claggett was peppered with right hands – uppercuts into rights over the top – and then came the left hooks. Claggett must have thought he was fighting five men.

It was down to referee Victor Loughlin to come to his rescue as he stepped in and cradled the battered Claggett on the ropes to signal the end.

Slough’s Azim dazzled and is now 15-0 (12 KOs).

The now 40-9-2 (28 KOs) Claggett, from Calgary, Alberta, had won his last two since a decision loss to Teofimo Lopez.

Trained by Shane McGuigan and inactive since a 12^th round stoppage of Kurt Scoby last November, Azim’s coach was showing him – as Claggett was introduced – how his left hands would carve openings for the right hands that he delivers with such spite.

Azim is now at the front of the queue to face the winner of the bout between Lindolfo Delgado and Artur Biyarslanov, which the IBF recently ordered for their vacant belt. That’s fine, of course. But the fight for Azim is and always has been Dalton Smith.

Claggett was another obstacle cleared to get to that. Hopefully there aren’t many more.

“Let me get a belt first, then we’ll fight Dalton Smith,” said Azim. “But I’d fight him tomorrow.”