Adam Azim vs Dalton Smith: NOW or NEVER

With everything happening in boxing right now, one matchup stands out as the fight fans want to see: Adam Azim vs. Dalton Smith. These two are among Britain’s brightest talents, and the buzz around this potential bout keeps growing.

Adam Azim’s first fight in 2025 is scheduled against former world champion Sergey Lipinets for the IBO title. Meanwhile, Dalton Smith is set to face Walid Ouizza for the EBU/WBC Super Lightweight titles. The rivalry between Azim and Smith continues to build, and many believe it’s only a matter of time before they meet in the ring.

Azim and Smith have been linked ever since Azim was ordered to defend his European title against Smith, a top contender from Sheffield. Instead, Azim relinquished the title and pursued a different path. Despite that, fans and pundits are still calling for this showdown.

The 22-year-old rising star, Adam Azim, seems ready for challenges like this. In his last fight against Ohara Davies, Azim dominated, completely outboxing him and securing an impressive knockout in the 8th round—his best performance so far. This success has sparked strong calls for a bout against Dalton Smith, which feels like a natural next step. Azim first burst onto the boxing scene in 2021.

A similar situation arose when Azim was set to face Harlem Eubank in 2024, but an injury prevented the fight. A showdown like this is expected to feature on a major card by mid-2025. Ben Shalom, Adam Azim’s promoter, called their potential match-up a “monster” fight that is destined to happen—just not yet. He is already a serious threat in the super lightweight division.

Dalton Smith, now 27 years old, has an impressive unbeaten streak of 17 wins. Known for his exceptional talent, he’s considered less aggressive compared to Azim’s style. Since his debut in 2019, Smith has fought 98 professional rounds and achieved 12 knockouts. His strong rankings—2nd in the WBC, 13th in the WBO, and 10th in the IBF—make him a worthy contender. If this fight takes place, it would be a 12-round bout, and Smith would need to strategize carefully to counter Azim’s advantage in age, height, and reach. Smith’s ultimate goal is to fill the Hillsborough Stadium with fans.

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Both fighters bring something special to the table. They each have a 75% knockout rate and have stopped three of their last five opponents. Azim outboxed Ohara Davies, Enock Poulsen, and Franck Petitjean, while Smith took down Jose Zepeda, Sam Maxwell, and Sam O’Maison, all in under seven rounds. Azim appears to be the busier fighter in the ring, but Smith’s consistency and skill make this matchup highly intriguing.

WHEN WILL THIS BOUT HAPPEN?

Here’s why I think this fight might not happen until 2026:

Adam Azim believes these kinds of matchups are good but not necessary right now. He feels some promoters are trying to capitalize on his name, which is a possibility. While he sees these fights as important stepping stones, he doesn’t think they’re the right move at this moment. Back in October, he jokingly mentioned the idea of a bout with a former world champion, and already a fight with Sergey Lipinets in January 2025 is fixed.

For now, Azim is weighing his options and planning this as a grand event to draw massive crowds. Once he wraps up other less-demanded fights, he can focus on turning one of these high-profile matchups into a major headliner with maximum impact.

His promoters seem to agree. In interviews, they’ve consistently emphasized that Azim’s time for blockbuster fights isn’t now. While he’s undeniably fast and packs solid punches, they believe these fights aren’t the right buildup for his long-term career. His team, led by Shane and his father, has a proven track record of crafting successful career paths, and they’re taking a calculated approach to ensure Azim reaches his full potential.

CONCLUSION

For years now, top fighters in the same weight class have often avoided each other until they’re past their prime or out of options. Matches like Groves vs. DeGale, where fighters meet on their way up, are becoming increasingly rare. That fight didn’t hurt either of them—they both went on to have great careers. A matchup between Azim and Smith would be fascinating, but I understand why they’re currently heading in different directions.

While the bout is highly anticipated, I’d favor Azim over Smith. He has a speed advantage and decent power too. But if this fight is going to happen, Azim needs to push Shalom to make it happen. Right now, Shalom seems like the main obstacle—if Adam is genuinely ready, the fight can be made. Sure, it’s smart business to wait, but not if it risks damaging the credibility of the fighters or the brand.

I hope the fight happens. A loss at this stage wouldn’t hurt either of them in the long run. Shalom’s claim that the fight needs to be built into a PPV event feels unrealistic. It’s reminiscent of the early 2000s when fighters like Secret Williams, Takaloo, and Steve Roberts should’ve faced off but didn’t. Also, skipping the British and Commonwealth titles to chase the European belt is already a fast move, so saying “we need more time” for this matchup feels off. It’s not a world-level fight yet, but it’s a solid European-level clash that fans want to see.