Craig Richards has never been able to get over the hump against the top fighters in the light heavyweight division, but on Saturday in Accra, Ghana, he likely gave himself at least one more chance to try.
Facing fellow Londoner and another hard-luck case running out of time to change his career fortunes, Richards broke down and then dramatically knocked out Dan Azeez in the 12th and final round at Legon Sports Stadium.
The end for Azeez came at 2 minutes and 36 seconds of the 12th.
“I knew his spirit was strong,” Richards said of Azeez after the fight. “I knew he’d give me a rough time.”
Richards, 20-4-1 (13 KOs), began creating separation late in an otherwise tight, difficult-to-score fight. The results of his long jab, varied counterpunching and head movement became more pronounced through the middle rounds as the compact Azeez, 22-3-1 (14 KOs), struggled to find a route inside to consistently land enough offense to keep pace.
By the late rounds, Richards had mostly drained the fight from Azeez, whose work rate had flatlined and whose breathing had become heavy. Richards took command in the 10th, emptying his arsenal: a right uppercut-left hook combination, a sharp left hook to the head, a cracking right cross to the chin. Azeez answered in between with a right hand, but it was just about all he had left.
In the 12th, Azeez, gamely still searching for a magic-bullet punch, walked onto the end of a Richards right hand that briefly staggered him. Reloading, he and Richards punched together, then again – this time Richards beating him on the draw with a pinpoint left hook to the chin. The blow sent Azeez’s gumshield flying and his body crumbling to the canvas.
The win was Richards’ second in a row – the first time he has been able to cobble together back-to-back wins since 2019. He has lost to Dmitry Bivol and Joshua Buatsi, and most recently to Willy Hutchinson in June 2024. But a knockout of Padraig McCrory last March earned him Saturday’s crossroads matchup with Azeez, and at 35, Richards may now get a look against a light heavyweight contender and one more bite at the apple.
Azeez, 35, had been seeking the same opportunity, which may now be beyond his grasp for good. After going 0-2-1 (including a loss to Buatsi), he bounced back with wins in a couple of low-stakes six-rounders, but Saturday’s defeat may prove to be the bookend to a solid career.
Jason Langendorf is the former Boxing Editor of ESPN.com, was a contributor to Ringside Seat and the Queensberry Rules, and has written about boxing for Vice, The Guardian, Sun-Times and other publications. A member of the Boxing Writers Association of America, he can be found at LinkedIn and followed on X and Bluesky.
