Dan Azeez rejected Joshua Buatsi's aspersions after his back injury last year and hit back when Buatsi threatened a knockout win when they fight on Saturday, live on Sky Sports; "That was the wrong thing to say," Azeez warned. "My desire and motivation doesn't change. I've got a job to do"
Thursday 1 February 2024 17:41, UK
There was no handshake, and a long, frosty staredown, when Joshua Buatsi confronted Dan Azeez on the first live recording of the Gloves Are Off.
Just two days before their light-heavyweight contest, Buatsi and Azeez went head to head in front of a live audience at BOXPARK Wembley.
Their past friendship has been banished, especially when Buatsi questioned the truth of Azeez's account after he had to withdraw from the original date for this fight last year.
"Was he injured? I wasn't there, I wasn't part of his camp," Buatsi said.
Casting doubt on his integrity has irritated Azeez. "Why would I fake an injury to fight you a couple of months later?" the Lewisham man told him.
"He's used to having it a certain way and I think when things didn't go how he wanted it to go, he had a bit of tantrum," he continued. "He threw his toys out the pram.
"I believe deep down he knows I'm not that kind of fighter. But to just put it out there, to maybe get under my skin and try and rattle me, that's why I'm saying 'come on'.
"My desire and motivation doesn't change," Azeez said. "Whether he thinks I'm faking this, I've got a job to do.
"The fire's always there, regardless of whether he says anything."
But his pride was stung when Buatsi called him out for this fight. "When the fight first happened, I was told he asked for the fight," Azeez said.
"He's turned down other fights but he's picking me. So I thought he doesn't rate me."
Buatsi drew another reaction from his opponent when he said he could knock Azeez out on Saturday.
"I've shown I can knock people out," the Croydon fighter declared.
"That was the wrong thing to say," Azeez grimly replied.
When the opportunity came to shake hands at the end of the show, Buatsi abruptly declined it.
"After the fight," was all he said, before facing off with Azeez in a fierce, unblinking staredown.
Watch Buatsi vs Azeez live on Sky Sports Arena at 7pm on Saturday night.
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