Rather than draw battle lines in Lewisham, South London, local light-heavyweight rivals Dan Azeez and Craig Richards will instead travel all the way to Accra, Ghana on December 20 to make things a little more interesting.
There, in Accra, both men will be taking their fight “to the motherland” and both also know that any bragging rights secured will be valid upon their return to London.
“I’m really pleased to fight out in Ghana,” said Azeez at a press conference on Tuesday. “It’s not just a celebration of my heritage, but it’s two South London boys who have been British champions, sparred together, came up as amateurs. He won the British, I won the British title, and we’re taking our rivalry back to the motherland. It’s a big, big thing. It marks a monumental point in our careers. The winner goes on to bigger and better things, and for the loser it could potentially be quits. I’m looking forward to it.”
Azeez, 22-2-1 (14 KOs), was last seen boxing in Nigeria, where, in October, he stopped Sulaimon Adeosun inside four rounds. That was Azeez’s second straight win since losing by decision to Lewis Edmonson in a British and Commonwealth title fight a little over 12 months ago. At 36, Azeez claims to still have plenty left to offer, but is just as aware of the fact that he can afford no slipups from this point on.
“I like to press, make the action, but Craig likes to mix it up as well, so I think it will be a great fight,” he said. “It shouldn’t be a bore-fest, for sure.”
As for Richards, he is also on the comeback trail, having lost a crucial fight against Willy Hutchinson in June 2024. Since then, Richards, 19-4-1 (12 KOs), has fought just once, stopping Padraig McCrory in eight rounds in March.
“To go and headline in Ghana in a stadium is unreal,” said Richards, 35. “And it’s against a good, solid competitor in Dan Azeez. As we’ve seen, there are loads of times when we’re offering people fights, and they’re trying to go left, or trying to go right, and we find it hard. But I knew when I heard Dan Azeez’s name he is a fighting man like myself and would take the opportunity.
“We both know each other well. Even the local barber in Lewisham has got our two pictures next to each other. It just shows how close this rivalry is in terms of South London.
“This opportunity is something I want to take with both hands. I have big aspirations in this sport and I think that getting a good win against a solid competitor like Dan Azeez out in Ghana will push me on to big things. I’m locked in and excited for this.”
