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SportsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:03 Okay, gentlemen, I wait the good leave fight.
00:06 Follow the rules, obey my comments.
00:08 This is the belt line, this is the belt line for you.
00:12 No punches below this line.
00:14 May the best man win.
00:15 Shake hands, good luck.
00:17 >> [APPLAUSE]
00:22 >> Ansi Parioke, the third person in
00:25 the ring for this one, 12 rounds or fewer.
00:28 For the European Super Lightweight title, a first defense for Adam Azeem.
00:32 Boxing out of that red corner.
00:36 >> [INAUDIBLE]
00:38 [SOUND]
00:39 >> Coming out of the blue corner,
00:41 Enoch Paulson.
00:42 I outlined some of the trials and tribulations that Paulson has had.
00:46 It took some serious mental strength to overcome them.
00:55 And even when he won the title, injury problems after that meant that they had to
01:01 vacate and wait for another opportunity.
01:04 Nice left hook there from Paulson, just threw that one off the hip as Azeem looked
01:08 to try and let his right hand go.
01:09 >> Yeah, and he's still undefeated.
01:12 And he's the challenger here tonight.
01:14 He didn't lose his belt in the ring, so he's got that challenger's mentality.
01:17 But also, kind of maybe a champion's mentality as well,
01:20 as he probably feels like this should be his belt.
01:23 >> [NOISE]
01:29 >> Nice jab from Azeem.
01:30 >> [NOISE]
01:38 >> Both guys started really sharp here
01:39 in this first round.
01:41 Both still feeling each other out, trying to find their range.
01:43 Land and cuffing shots with the left hand.
01:48 Azeem going well head and body.
01:50 Paulson still dazed.
01:52 Great adjustments of his feet.
01:54 Nice long, straight shots coming from him.
01:57 >> Just tries to step into a lead left hook there, Paulson.
02:02 He's got long arms.
02:05 Looking to try and use that reach if he can.
02:09 When they were stood face to face yesterday, Azeem, slightly the taller of the two.
02:14 There again, he just wings off that left hook, Paulson.
02:22 He pulls back a little bit when he does that.
02:23 Picks up as well with his chin in the air.
02:25 So, I think Azeem will maybe try and time that.
02:28 Try and beat him to the punch with a straight right hand.
02:30 >> [NOISE]
02:40 >> Into the final minute of round one.
02:50 Moved to Denmark from Zambia when he was very young, just four years old.
02:55 Took up boxing not long after that, so he's been at this a long time.
02:59 You know, Paulson is a good amateur as well.
03:02 Boxed internationally.
03:05 Mixed in some very good company.
03:08 >> 30 seconds, 30 seconds.
03:10 [INAUDIBLE]
03:20 >> Cheeky good right hand there from Paulson after the referee, I think,
03:27 had told him to stop boxing.
03:29 There wasn't really anything on it.
03:31 The pair of them just looking to land that lead hand revolving around each other in
03:36 the center of the ring.
03:39 [SOUND]
03:40 Okay, let's go to the tailo.
03:42 He's a virtual hunter.
03:43 >> Virtual hunter, you're coaching Joshua Boazzi in the biggest fight of his life
03:49 tonight.
03:50 How's the training camp gone and how is he doing?
03:52 >> The training is going well.
03:53 He's fully committed to it.
03:54 He did what was asked of him.
03:56 He lived a dedicated and spartan life and I'm real pleased where he's at.
04:00 >> You've been working with him for the last three years.
04:02 Is this the best he's looked in training?
04:05 >> Well, it's hard to say.
04:06 You never can get indication of what he looks like in training.
04:09 It's just this commitment and dedication and it all comes together tonight.
04:13 >> Sure.
04:13 What do you wanna see from him tonight?
04:16 >> I wanna see him perform like I know he can perform.
04:19 And I have great expectations of him to perform and I'm looking forward to it.
04:23 >> Thank you, sir.
04:24 >> You're welcome.
04:24 >> We've got some frightening boxing IQs in those corners for
04:29 the main event with Virgil Hunter and Buddy McGirtman.
04:33 >> Definitely, but you know, if they can't do the fight for them,
04:36 they can only tell them what they gotta go out and do.
04:37 Then the fighters have gotta go out there and execute the game plan.
04:40 [SOUND]
04:44 >> So into the second,
04:46 that first round, a feeling out process.
04:48 Nobody wants him to commit too much.
04:51 >> I think especially when you're boxing someone like Azeem who's so fast,
04:56 you've really sort of got to try and acclimatize to his speed,
05:00 get the timing of it.
05:01 Good timing can beat speed, but
05:03 certainly early doors until you've got the timing of that speed.
05:06 It can be tricky, tricky water.
05:08 So I think cagey start for Paulson, but he'll look to try and
05:12 build on that now, I'd say.
05:13 Doesn't wanna start letting rounds slip away from him either.
05:16 [NOISE]
05:27 >> Come on, give me a little bit more.
05:28 Give me a little bit more.
05:29 [NOISE]
05:37 >> Left hand into the body there from Azeem.
05:39 When you see the pair of them side on, the way they're set up is pretty similar
05:43 in terms of the hand position, the width of their stance.
05:46 Neither one has quite got the distance yet.
05:48 >> Yeah, Azeem, he's finding his right, great right hand there from him.
05:54 So you feel like it doesn't matter how warm you are in the change room,
05:57 it still takes a round or two to find your range.
05:59 And he's finding that range with the left to the body.
06:02 He's landing it straight, and this round he started bringing it round to the side,
06:05 which means his feet are slightly closer than they were for
06:07 the straight left to the body.
06:09 If you start landing that,
06:10 then you know you're in range for that big right hand over the top.
06:13 Paulson with the low left hand.
06:15 He's got the sharp feet to drop him back, but
06:18 his feet failed him earlier on there with Adam landing a right hand.
06:21 Right on the button.
06:23 >> There's a right hand again from Azeem.
06:28 He takes those feet in, he landed fairly clean there.
06:31 Paulson looking to try and fire back.
06:33 >> [NOISE]
06:41 >> Good jab into the pit of his stomach
06:43 there from Azeem.
06:43 >> [NOISE]
06:53 >> Paulson doing well in this round as well.
06:56 I think he's realized that he can't match Azeem for hand speed, so
06:59 decided to punch with him.
07:00 And sometimes that don't make sense,
07:03 because if you punch with someone, the guy with the faster hand should land.
07:06 He's having a little bit more, getting closer with that left hand,
07:09 when he tries to punch with Azeem.
07:12 >> [NOISE]
07:22 >> Yeah, I think the other thing with
07:24 Paulson, maybe he thinks, look, maybe this speed, this ridiculous sharpness of Azeem,
07:28 let that dwindle a little bit, make him work,
07:30 try and find a pace that he's not comfortable at sustaining.
07:34 And then come on a bit stronger in the second half.
07:37 >> Right hand from Azeem maybe just brought a slight reaction there for
07:41 Paulson.
07:41 >> [NOISE]
07:43 [SOUND]
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08:19 [MUSIC]
08:24 >> [INAUDIBLE]
08:34 >> [INAUDIBLE]
08:44 >> [INAUDIBLE]
08:54 >> [INAUDIBLE]
09:04 >> [INAUDIBLE]
09:14 >> Right hand from Azeem, but
09:24 the gloves are up there for Paulson.
09:25 >> Yeah, good, got a good guard, Paulson.
09:27 So Azeem's got to really pry that defense open.
09:29 He's got to use feints.
09:31 He's got to mix it up, can't become predictable.
09:33 No good body in the head with the jab, mix up, bury the speed,
09:36 bury the power, and also put some combinations together.
09:39 >> [INAUDIBLE]
09:49 >> He's not gonna be easy to catch with
09:57 single shots here, Paulson, he's too cute for that.
10:01 >> Yeah, I think Azeem needs to just touch Paulson a little bit more,
10:05 just land a little bit more lever on him before going in for that 100% power shot.
10:10 Paulson's still a little bit too tricky, a little bit too slick at the moment.
10:15 >> [INAUDIBLE]
10:25 >> Pops up the one-two there, Azeem.
10:27 Nice rhythm to it.
10:28 It was half blocked by Paulson, but there's a decent flow to it there from Azeem.
10:34 >> Yeah, good variety from him now, you know, bring the left hook,
10:37 lead left hooks, put that right hand around the side.
10:41 It's the way to break down someone with a tight guard is there's always an opening,
10:45 you just got to find it.
10:46 Whether it comes around the side, comes through the middle, you go head and body.
10:49 And all of a sudden when they start doubting their guard or they feel they
10:52 have to punch their way out of those sort of situations,
10:54 they leave more openings to be taken advantage of.
10:58 >> [INAUDIBLE]
11:07 >> Azeem just hurrying up those feet,
11:09 trying to get after Paulson a little bit here, I think, towards the end of the third.
11:13 >> [INAUDIBLE]
11:22 >> Yeah, Paulson to his credit.
11:24 I don't think he's working hard here.
11:25 I'm not saying he's winning the round, but
11:27 he still looks quite calm and composed.
11:28 He's waiting for Azeem to maybe make a mistake and
11:31 try and land something decent on him.
11:35 >> [INAUDIBLE]
11:38 [SOUND]
11:40 >> Well, after this,
11:41 we've got Joshua Boatse up against Dan Aziz.
11:43 And Aziz, as always, will be taking inspiration from his great hero,
11:47 marvelous Marvin Hagler.
11:51 >> Everyone knows my favorite fighter is Marvin Hagler.
11:54 >> He's just done it the hard way.
11:56 He came up the hard way.
11:58 And I just like the way it's like a real rags to riches story.
12:02 And he's a real hard man.
12:03 Mental strength is on 100.
12:06 >> I want to show the world I am the greatest.
12:08 >> You are the greatest middleweight, there's no doubt about that.
12:11 >> I just like the old school look, do you know what I mean?
12:13 I think their dress sense, the eighties, seventies, I like their dress sense.
12:17 I just like that swag.
12:20 [MUSIC]
12:23 >> Well, there's the kids.
12:23 I remember the first time I saw him fight Aziz, it was in Brentwood.
12:27 And the kids just stood out immediately.
12:29 The color of it, the length of the shorts, the long socks, everything is classic.
12:35 It's got that hallmark of Hagler written all over it.
12:38 >> Yeah, certainly just seeing more, he's obviously a Marvin Hagler fan.
12:41 [LAUGH]
12:45 >> So into the fourth, Azim and the black and white,
12:48 and now Paulson undefeated, former holder of this title.
12:53 In the shimmering black and orange.
12:54 [NOISE]
12:57 >> I think Paulson knows this is, he's in for
13:00 the long haul here.
13:01 So it's about trying to win the rounds, but conserve energy at the same time.
13:05 And don't take too much early on, the speed that Azim has.
13:12 You're the older fighter,
13:14 you like that's gonna leave him as the rounds go on.
13:16 [NOISE]
13:18 >> And I get the timing of it,
13:19 it'll be easy to counter at the minute.
13:21 He's still blisteringly fast, so he's gotta keep his defenses tight.
13:25 Don't give too much away, and just take whatever Azim gives him.
13:28 [NOISE]
13:32 >> Azim himself, though, by that same
13:35 token, is winning these rounds without lessing off the handbrake.
13:39 Too much either, George, and that, I think, is down to the schooling that he had last
13:43 year, the referee just wanting him to keep that left hand up,
13:46 because he got all those rounds in last year, they were long jobs.
13:49 Shane McGuigan kept him very much on the leash, he's not feeling the need to go and
13:53 win these rounds really, really big, he's just winning them.
13:56 >> No, he is, and he's waiting for his opening, but in turn,
14:00 creating it with his stalking the guy in front of him with the sharp front foot and
14:05 the sharp hunches.
14:07 So he's got a mature head on him, Adam Azim.
14:10 He knows that he doesn't need to go for broke early on,
14:13 that the opportunities will present themselves, but he's gotta carve them out,
14:17 and he's trying to carve them out with sharp feints, sharp left hands at the moment.
14:20 Polson, as I say, he's definitely an experienced accomplished fighter,
14:25 unbeaten, he's not really giving a lot away at the moment for Azim.
14:29 Azim showing patience, lands with the right hand there.
14:33 >> Yeah, he's bagging the rounds, and he will get more openings as the fight goes on.
14:39 >> So at the minute, Polson's still sharp, reflexes are still razor sharp, and
14:44 he's keeping his hands high, he's edging forward, he's not really giving Azim much.
14:49 >> Stepped in for the right hand there, Azim, he was slightly short.
14:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]
14:57 Polson himself just trying to commit and close that distance so
15:01 he can get into range to land himself.
15:03 He hasn't felt much on the end of those gloves so far.
15:06 [BLANK_AUDIO]
15:12 >> Landed the left hand there.
15:14 [BLANK_AUDIO]
15:24 [INAUDIBLE]
15:34 [SOUND]
15:39 [MUSIC]
15:44 >> Well, the time is drawing ever nearer for our main eventers.
15:49 [MUSIC]
15:52 >> These are the final stages of preparation.
15:57 [MUSIC]
16:01 As usual for Boatse, he's been down the barbers, he's had that trimmed,
16:05 the beard is gone.
16:07 [MUSIC]
16:12 It's a ritual he observes to help him make that transition into fight mode.
16:19 [MUSIC]
16:22 And this is just a huge night for the pair of them.
16:24 [MUSIC]
16:34 >> Second time, round five.
16:37 [SOUND]
16:40 [MUSIC]
16:51 >> Good use of the lead left hand there from Azeem.
16:54 Up to the head then, stabbing down to the body,
16:57 catches Polson with a left hand as Polson came in there.
17:00 He's maybe looking to commit a bit more here, the Dane in round five.
17:05 Because as you've been mentioning,
17:07 the rounds are just tending to slip by a little bit here.
17:11 And before he knows it, it'll be halfway and
17:13 he'll more than likely, if it keeps going like this, be six rounds down.
17:18 >> He's in a position where he needs a knockout or at the very least knockdowns.
17:21 [SOUND]
17:26 So definitely wanna start getting on the scoreboard now,
17:29 bagging a few rounds here, Polson.
17:30 So in that, as he takes more chances,
17:33 that should give Azeem the opening to land some shots cleanly.
17:36 [SOUND]
17:41 >> Yeah, Azeem super sharp with his left hand, but
17:43 I think well within his comfort zone at the moment.
17:46 He's not being stretched, so you can't see him gassing out anytime soon.
17:50 [SOUND]
17:52 >> Referee warning for a low grab, but
17:54 that was, it looked like a good shot there behind the elbow, maybe.
17:59 Just slipped onto the waistband.
18:00 >> Followed it up with another left hand there,
18:04 Azeem Aksai more into the pit of his stomach.
18:06 [SOUND]
18:15 >> Polson coming forward with the head a little bit low there.
18:18 [SOUND]
18:27 >> Left into the body from Polson.
18:29 [SOUND]
18:32 >> Opened out to the left hook, but
18:34 Azeem with that superior hand speed through his own left hand and landed first.
18:38 [SOUND]
18:48 >> Long right hand from Azeem.
18:57 [SOUND]
19:08 >> [FOREIGN]
19:13 >> Oh, his shoulder.
19:15 >> Well, Polson goes down there.
19:17 He's had problems with his right shoulder before.
19:21 It came out three times in his fight against Frank Pedijohn.
19:25 And if that's happened again here, then he's going to withdraw from the fight
19:30 essentially, and that is what has happened.
19:32 Azeem with the celebration, that is desperately unlucky for Polson.
19:36 You can see the shoulder has come out, it is dislocated.
19:41 It's a very, very painful injury.
19:43 As George grows to my left hand side, knows only too well, and
19:47 he's desperately unlucky.
19:48 He's behind in this fight, but his plan would have been to try to have come on
19:52 stronger in the second half.
19:54 But as I said at the beginning, that happened to him three times in a previous
19:58 fight when he won the European title against Frank Pedijohn, and
20:01 it's happened again tonight.
20:02 >> Yeah, what a shame, because this was such a good fight, and
20:05 it was still building, which is still so much more to come.
20:09 Yeah, I mean, yeah, he's had shoulder issues before, but
20:14 I would have thought he would have got that fixed, but he hasn't.
20:18 And yeah, what a shame, he's put the fight, a really good fight,
20:22 to an immediate end.
20:23 But I can testify, the dislocated shoulder is pretty painful,
20:28 arguably more painful than childbirth.
20:31 But that's a debate me and my wife have every week.
20:34 >> [LAUGH] >> I wasn't expecting that.
20:39 I wasn't expecting that.
20:41 I spoke to him about this injury during the week, Paulson, and
20:44 he did point to his right shoulder, and I think he did have surgery on it.
20:48 He showed me the scar, but once it's happened once,
20:51 it becomes more likely to happen again.
20:53 I think whatever it is that you do to try and repair it, and
20:57 you could see that it had just gone straight away there.
21:01 And essentially, he has withdrawn himself from the fight and
21:05 retired with injury.
21:07 >> Yeah, it's a shame because it was such, it was a good fight.
21:12 I mean, Azeem was winning the rounds, he was boxing well,
21:15 showing good maturity.
21:16 He was patient, he knew that Paulson was there for the long haul, so
21:19 he was bagging the rounds, trying to break him down with the body shots.
21:23 I think Paulson was also hanging in there thinking,
21:26 Azeem's got this speed, he's a younger guy, but he'll slow down and
21:29 he'll get on in the second half.
21:31 And unfortunately, we didn't get to see how that fight would have played out.
21:35 You have to say Azeem was definitely in the driver's seat and
21:38 looked fairly comfortable.
21:39 I'll tell you what though, George,
21:41 I'm definitely gonna quote you when I'm debating with my missus.
21:45 >> She might pull your shoulder out of his socket though, Matt, so beware.
21:49 I think Paulson said the same thing as well, so I'm not on my own in that.
21:56 He said that fight week, didn't he?
21:57 >> I didn't quite catch what the translator said, but.
22:01 >> There's some serious moonwalking going on here for George Groves.
22:04 He's backpedaling at an alarming rate, an alarming rate.
22:07 We just got the scores from the judges at ringside.
22:09 They had Azeem winning every round up until the point of the stoppage.
22:12 A really feel for Paulson here though, a really do because he had those problems
22:16 with the left knee.
22:17 They took some serious overcoming, but he managed to get back in the ring and
22:21 win that European title despite the shoulder dislocations.
22:25 And then his body is just broken down on him again here tonight.
22:28 It's devastating for an athlete.
22:30 It really is because you put the training and you put the work and
22:33 you get to this kind of level, this kind of stage and
22:36 something like that happens.
22:37 It's heartbreaking for him, it really is.
22:40 >> I thought there was quite a controlled maturity about Azeem tonight though.
22:43 And I think if he hadn't had the season in the rounds that he got in the previous
22:47 fights, he probably wouldn't have been able to have boxed like that tonight.
22:49 But he was really good tonight, I thought.
22:51 It was Paulson, very capable guy, knew how to look after himself,
22:55 was playing the long game going into the second half.
22:58 And yeah, Azeem, unfortunately, he stopped the way he did, but
23:01 really good performance from Azeem.
23:03 >> I'd have loved to have seen what would have happened in the second half of that
23:06 as we headed down the stretch.
23:08 We didn't get the opportunity, unfortunately.
23:10 Here's Big Mo with the final announcement.
23:12 >> Ladies and gentlemen, referee Ansi Perioki calls a stop to this contest.
23:18 At two minutes, 39 seconds of round number five,
23:23 declaring your winner by knockout and
23:26 still the European Super Lightweight Champion,
23:31 Adam 'The Assassin' Azeem.
23:34 >> [APPLAUSE]
23:38 >> Adam Azeem retains his European Super
23:42 Lightweight title.
23:44 Up next, Joshua Bruatsi against Big Mo.