A super-lightweight without an Olympic background, turning pro young, looking to become a superstar on Sky Sports, Adam Azim wants to follow the route Ricky Hatton set; Watch Adam Azim vs Rylan Charlton like on Sky Sports on Sunday November 27
Saturday 19 November 2022 12:32, UK
Last weekend Ricky Hatton said goodbye to his supporters in Manchester, boxing a last exhibition with Marco Antonio Barrera.
Next weekend Adam Azim takes the first key step up in his young career when he fights Rylan Charlton on Sunday November 27, live on Sky Sports.
Like Hatton did, Azim has turned professional at a very young age, similarly he boxes at super-lightweight and he wants to build himself up as a star in British boxing.
Hatton himself had advice for Azim when it comes to following that path.
"Keep listening, learning, anything you can pick up, never be scared of learning. The minute we think we know everything, whether it be boxing, football or anything, just in life, the minute you think you know it all, I think you're finished," Hatton explained when speaking to Sky Sports.
"Keep an open mind, take any advice in, work hard, train hard, listen hard. If you have a few speed bumps along the way - you could lose a fight or you could have a few iffy performances, it's all about learning.
"Just keep at it and you get there eventually. Boxing's not where you start. It's where you finish."
Hatton knows what it took to become a superstar. "It's something you've got to be born with. But even if you're not born with it and you have the desire to listen and learn, be clever enough to take the advice and information in that someone gives you," he said.
"Sometimes the best fighters don't always win. If there's one thing boxing has taught us, there's always big upsets. So the most talented fighters, or the favourites in fights, they don't always win. It's because somebody's prepared a bit better, had the better gameplan, trained a little bit harder."
Azim does have ability. But that's not all he'll need to go all the way. "I think you can say to any youngsters at a young age, whether you're born with it or you're not born with it, if you work hard at it, listen, learn, take everything in, there's no reason why not," Hatton said.
"If there's anyone better than you, you've got to work harder and if you do that you can get beyond them.
"Because there's been some very, very mediocre fighters that have got right to the top because they've wanted it more than the talent and I think that's the best advice I could probably give to any youngster. Is to want it more."
